New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-10-16
LAW MAKERS HIT HARD BY
LABOR MEN AT RALLY HERE

| period of ten days
The appointment of judges by the
| governor was severely criticised by
! the speaker. They have no one TO
look to for rebuke if mistakes were
| made except the man who appointed
| them. Speaking of occupational COM
| pensation for occupational disease is
| an amendment for which the state
| federation will work at the coming
! session. Mr. Stremlau said compen-
| satiOn for lead poisoning had been
allowed a workingman named Miller
! by the compensation commissioner il,
New Haven. This was upheld in an
appeal to superior court but the
manufa cturer carried the case to the
supreme court of errors which filed
an adverse decision, blasting the
hopes Of the state federation. JUS
| tice Wheeler dissented and filed
minority opinion, which stated that
occupational diseases should be COM
pensated for under the law. The &C
ton of the majority members Of the
court was a great surprise to law
makers and lawyers, he said, as it
| was generally believed that the word
injury included diseases incurred
through occupation.
In conclusion the speaker urged the
voters to weigh all matters carefully
between now and NOvembe and if
possible have committees appointed In
each ward to interview the candidates
on both tickets and ascertain just
where they stand on important meas
ures to be presented next January.
the alert for the causes Of the work.
ing classes the voters would make
this state a better state and a better
place to live in, he said.
Direct Election of Judges.
The chairman next introduced
George F. Mordecai of New Haven,
first vice president Of the state Or
ganization. He said that few years
ago excellent legislation was secured
through the efforts Of about 5000
members Of the State Federation Of
Labor, and at present with a men,
bership of $1,000 better results should
be secured if the members went about
1t in the proper manner. The speak
er also scored the present method
choosing judges who remain on the
bench until they are 70 years old, and
who in many instances have shown
themselves to be antagonistic to labor
unions and its followers. He urged
that bill should be presented calling
for the direct election of judges by
the people, thus affOrding the labor
ing man a better opportunity Of Sc
curing some rights.
Statute 1896 which pertains to the
anti picket law was literally torn 10
pieces by the speaker who called It
the worst Ia W written on the statute
books. He cited instances in New
Haven, Bridgeport, Meriden and An
sonia where WOrkmen were hauled
into court and jailed, after they had
spoken to strike breakers regarding
conditions as they existed in those
cities. The speaker said the kind
of men that should be In the legis-
lature were broad minded and who
would give to the workingman the
right to explain conditions in a city
where a strike was in progress, AMI
not haul him in as if he were a
criminal or culprit.
Mr.. Mordecai said that every men,
Der of the Central La Dor Union and
all trades unions in this city should
see and talk with the candidates for
office and if they did not acquaint
themselves as to where these candi-
dates stood, they were very lax.
Touching on the Occupational disease
in the compensation law, Mr.. Morde-
cal said that some judges went so
deep into technica1ities that they
claimed that the afflicted workmen
was suffering from liquor or other in
furious outside agents
Work of Minors and Women.
The next speaker was a member
of the House in 1913 and one of the
prominent workers III the cause of
the labor class, Fred L. Neebe of
Meriden. He, like the previous
speakers, said he was sorry to see so
few present at the meeting. He had
intended to speak on the working
mems compensation law but as the
other speakers had explained matters
so thoroughly he would simply en-
dorae their sentiments. The eight
hour law was the subject which the
speaker selected, and he spoke very
briefly in regard to the position the
labor representatives in the Legisla-
ture of 1913 on the law regulating the
hours of labor for women and minors.
1T secured for women and children a
So hour a week law and he had hopes
that this would be improved to in
clude an eight hour working day. He
spoke of the excellent manner in which
the depOsed factory inspector con-
Quoted his office and he also advo-
Gated more liberal Sunday. Mr.
Neebe said in this respect he be-
lieved that the toilers should be given
enough freedom on the Sabbath that
when Monday came around they
would feel that there was something
else in this world instead of work.
Raps Governor Holco1nb.
The final speaker of the afternoon
was Organizer Ornburn, whose re-
marks are touched upon in the open