The weekly soliphone., 1916-12-28
Urges Changes in
State Labor Laws

Little Rock, Dec. 22.-Numerous
changes in the present labor laws
of the state are recommended in
the biennial report of j. C. Clary,
commissioner Of labor, filed yester-
day with Gov. Hays. They are:
| That the Mississippi 10 hour law
be passed, because it has been held
constitutional and is more effec-
tive than the present Arkansas
| law.
| That the minimum wage law for
women should be amended to apply
to every firm or corporation engag-
ed in public work, which employs
one or more females and that the
wage scale during the six months
apprenticeship should be graduated.
The report says the law might be
held invalid because of two women
members of the minimum wage com
mission.
That a compulsory education and
mothers pension law be enacted to
make the operation of the recent
child labor law a success.
That the semi-monthly pay law
be amended to apply to all en-
ployers of labor engaged in public
work.
That a factory inspector be pro-
vided for.
That a free state employment
agency be established
That laws for the protection of
miners be enacted to govern the
zinc and lead mining industry.
That more stringent laws for the
enforcement of the states labor
statutes be enacted.
The report says that the statistics
it contains are inadequate and in
complete because the bureau of la
Dor statistics has had no way of
enforcing employers to send in sta
tistics and has been forced to rely
upon the latter's Willingness to
comply with requests by mail. The
report says personal canvass
would be the only way to obtain
accurate figures. The only figures
given were on accidents. The num-
Der, by industries, with the fatal
ties, follows: Saw and planning
mills. 1,431, II fatalities; cooperage
plants, 151, one fatality; other
woodworking plants, 173, one fatal
lily; electric railroads, IA, one ia
tally; water companies, six, no ia
talities; express companies, 81, no
fatalities; telegraph companies, Is,
one fatality; telephone companies,
46, no fatalities; cotton congresses,
seven, no fatalities; cotton mills,
II, no fatalities; mercantile stores
| 10, no fatalities.
Regarding organized labor CON
ditions the report says:
"These statistics show organized
labor to be more prosperous and en-
Ijoying shorter hours of labor and
better wages than those of the un-
organized. At least so per cent of
the unorganized are receiving as
low as $3.50 per day and some even
less. Fifty per cent are men with
families. 1t seems to us impossible
for man to support his family and
educate his children on $50 a day,
yet these conditions actually exist.
To better these conditions we heart
! lilly endorse organized Tabor. Labor
organizations have become a part
of our latter day civilization and
the right of the workman to bar
/. gain through his labor organization
with his employer must be upheld.
AS an individual, the wage Garner
has little chance to determine the
wage he is to receive, yet he is com
lpelled to purchase the product of
his own labor and pay whatever is
demanded from him for it, and his
lOnly opportunity for bettering his
condition is to combine with his fell
low workmen. Organized labor has
uoHe Hluch LOT the wage eafncfS OF
Arkansas In fact, it is through
their efforts that we have what la
Dor laws we have now on our stat
utes.
The report says that on the whole
labor conditions have. been satisrac-
tory and that no strikes of impor-
lance have occurred during the two
years. 1t reviews the BauXite
Istrike. the street car strike at Pine
Bluff and other labor troubles, most
of which occurred in 1916.
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