The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-10-07
Democracy Redeems
Pledges To Labor
of Administration Will Jeopardze Labors Ne.v Bill of Rights
Written Into Statute Lau By Democrats.
This Should Be Read By Every Union Man Country

preparations have been made for further
legislation. The bill to create Bureau of
Labor Safety and the Government EN-
ployes' Compensation bill have passed
the House and have been reported to
the Senate. (The latter is now law.)
The Convict Labor bill to enable States
to regulate admission from another
State of convict-made goods has been
reported favorably by the House Com
mittee on Labor and also by the Senate
Committee on Education and Labor and
is now on the calendar of both Houses.
A bill to provide Federal aid for voca-
tional training has been reported favor
ably by the House Committee on Educa-
tion and the Senate Committee on Edu-
cation and Labor. A bill to provide an
increase in wages for Federal Inspectors
of Locomotives and Railway Equipment
is on the House calendar with favor
able report from the House Committee
on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
A bill to create National Employment
Bureau has been favorably acted upon
by the House Committee on Labor and
is now before the House for its consider
alton.
Safety on Railroads.
A bill for the promotion of the safety
of employees and travellers on railroads,
providing a greater distance of clear
ance between cars and obstructions
along the right-of-way, has been placed
upon the calendar of the House with
the endorsement of the Committee on
Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
The foundation upon which the suc-
cessful record of the Wilson Admins
tration in providing protection of wage
workers against injustice and wrong was
laid during the Sixty-second Congress.
For sixteen years the Republicans had
had uninterrupted control of both
branches of Congress. The power of
the Speaker had become supreme. He
selected all of the committees to which
legislation was referred and named their
chairmen. Desire for good committee
appointments and chairmanships on the
part of members of the majority created
an influence in the hands of the Speaker
which enabled him to control the action
of the committees and through them the
legislation which should be considered
The committees became the graveyard
of every piece of legislation which the
Speaker had decided to oppose.
Democrats Broke Barriers.
In the Sixty-second Congress the
Democrats had control of the House.
They believed that the principle of al
lowing one man to dominate Congress
was wrong, and they amended the rules
of the House by taking the power to
name the committees out of the hands
of the Speaker and placing it in the
hands of the majority of the members
of Congress. The effect was immediate.
Committees of Congress became free to
act in accordance with the judgment of
the majority They took on new life and
measures were considered upon their
merits instead of by the dictation of
one man.
Among other committees that began
to function after sixteen years of in
activity was the Committee on Labor. II
reported out and secured the considera-
!, tion and enactment of a number of mea-
sures favorably affecting labor, among
) which may be mentioned the law pro
viding an eight-hour work-day on worl
!, done for the Government as well as OF
) work done by the Government; the ere
alton of the Industrial Relations Com
mission; the authorization of the Chill
dren's Bureau the establishment of the
Department of Labor, and the restora
ton of the right of hearing, petition
: and association to civil service employees
The same rules have applied to eacl
| succeeding Congress and they enabled
the Administration to secure the enact
: ment of the progressive legislation above
recounted There has never been an ad
ministration since the foundation of Tho
: Government where so much Legislation
, has been enacted directly affecting the
wage-workers and improving their con
! ditions.
, Liberals VS.. Tories.
One of the great champions of Labor
in Congress has been Representative
David ]. Lewis of Maryland, now can
didate for the U. S. Senate. Explaining
why Democracy has been Labor's in
strument of progress Mr.. Lewis said il
a speech in the House. July 10, 1916:
81 say it is something more than ;
coincidence that these measures have
passed a Democratic Congress anc
were not even considered under Repub
lican rule What is the cause? What il
the difference? The difference, sir,
submit is this: The party of Joseph g
} Cannon represented only a part of thu
j, people. The party of Wilson and Clarl
, represents them all. One is the Tor,