Denver labor bulletin., 1916-03-25
Reuie,p of Labor Legislation Made
Bu the u. S. Bureau of Statistics
Solving Problem of Unemployment and Workens Compen
sation Were Especially Notable Last Year. Child
Labor Louus SEouc Much Progress

The annual summary of labor legisla-
tion in the United States, published by
the United States Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the Department of Labor,
which appears as its Bulletin 1S6, covers
the activities in this field during 1915,
of forty-five states, two territories, and
the federal Congress. With three ex-
ceptions, kentucky, Maryland and Mis-
sissippi, every state in the Union held
legislative session, regular or extra,
in 1915. and of these. all but two, Lou
isiana and Virginia, enacted laws OF
special interest to labor. The bureaus
report reproduces the text of all these
labor laws and presents a concise re-
view of each class of legislation. The
workmen's compensation laws are omit
ed, having been published separately in
the bureaus recently issued Bulletin
ls5.
Aside from the enactment of work
mems compensation laws, perhaps the
most significant feature of the legisla-
tion of the year is the growth of the
industrial commission plan, uniting in
one authority the administration of
workmen's compensation, factory inspec-
tion, and other labor laws. This plan
was adopted in 1915. in Colorado. Indi-
ana. Montana. Nevada and New York.
Attention Given Unemployment.
Especially notable in the legislation of
the year was the attention given to the
subject of unemployment and public
employment offices. In Illinois a com
mission on unemployment, consisting OF
three representatives of labor, three OF
employers. and three of the public, was
established TO report at the next legisla-
tive session.
Ty, cnyvar. sn,,
ment offices. general advisory board
was established to investigate and deal
with unemployment. California and
Nevada passed resolutions calling for
investigation OF unemployment.
in Idaho emergency employment is
to be provided by county boards Of
commissioners for unemployed citizens
Of the United States who have been for
six months residents of the state En-
ploymcnt il to be on the highways at
rates TO be fixed by the county boards,
not more than sixty days work Of this
kind to be furnished any person within
one year One-half of the expense Is
to be borne by the state. and refusal
to perform the work assigned debars one
from this form of relief for the period
of one year.
Regulating Private Agencies.
Public employment offices were pro-
vided for in California, Idaho. Iowa,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania. and pro-
vision was made for the extension of
the system of public employment offices
in Illinois. Michigan and Oklahoma
The licensing and supervision of private
employment offices were provided for in
seven states, Colorado. Nebraska, Ore
gon, Pennsylvania. Rhode Island, Texas
and Wisconsin, while Idaho prohibited
the maintenance of private employment
agencies operated for profit.
laws relating to the employment of
women and children were quite as nu-
mcrous, as in preceding years. Notable
among these were the minimum wage
laws enacted by Arkansas and Kansas,
making eleven states which now have
such legislation. California, Massachu-
setts and Washington passed amend
mcnts TO their minimum wage laws
not. however. involving any important
notifications. In Idaho commission