The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-03-24
Old Age and Disability Payments
Favored by Special investi.
eating Committee.
ElGHT-H0UR LAW is UPHELD
Wisconsin Supreme Court Sustains
Milwaukee ordinance--Wyominu
Compensation Law Produces
Big Surplus--News OF In
terest to Labor.


are sixty-five years old, and to dis
abled miners under that age, will be
made by the special committee APP
PORTED by John +. White, president of
the organization. to investigate the
matter.
The validity of Milwaukee's eight
hour-day ordinance, which provides
that the work day for city employees,
as we'll as for employees of contract
ors doing city work, shall not exceed
eight hours, was upheld by the state
supreme court of Wisconsin
The first year and half of the Wyo-
ming compensation law shows u sur
plus of over 100000. The expense of
enforcing the law was LA per cent,
against 45 per cent cost to private COM
panieS.
Active work is now being done by
the Canadian national service board to
supplant male labor with female
wherever possible in munition plants.
Already nearly 1900 women are en-
gagged in the manufacture of munitions
in Ottawa.
The British governments decision to
call half Of the skilled agricultural
workers to the army and replace them
by men who are now scheduled for
sedentary work, or women, has evoked
a food of angry protest from the farm
erS.
There is a growing opinion in Japan
favorable to labor organizations and
reasonable curtailnlent of daily hours
Of labor, because Of the economic con-
yiction that those things add to the
total sum Of efficiency of the workman.
A remarkable increase in member
ship of the sailors unions on the At
lantic coast is reported The total
membership of the eastern locals, for
the first time now exceeds that of the
sailors union of the Pacific
Secretary of the Navy Daniels re-
Gently told the house naval committee
that the wages of every enlisted man
In the navy should be increased S. a
mont Ills would - So Aa1sQa00 2
~Ststlf ~ the Edyft'ls.
Allied shorlnen employed by the st.
Louis Terminal have secured wage in
creases that range from two and one
half to five cents an hour. These gains
will total about $4,000 and win bene-
fit 625 employees.
In order to prevent future disputes
between employers and workers, the
French minister of manufactures has
announced that he is taking steps to
fix wage rates in all munition factories.
Four million of the $4,000, 900 being
raised to pension retiring clergy of
the Protestant Episcopal church has
been pledged. 1t is planned to raise
the other million before next March.
The supreme court of California has
recently ruled that 1t is not q violation
of the law for an employee discharged
by firm to solicit trade from former
customers for a competing firm.
The program of the ministry of mt
nitions for producing munitions In Ire
land Is very elaborate and will neces-
state the use Of every building avail
able throughout the country.
The Union Pacific Railroad company
has announced that it has insured the
lives of its 10000 employees and also
against Ill health and accident for
sum totaling S30,0000OO.
During the first nine months of 1915
SS3 men were killed and 6,95S other
workers We're disabled for periods
greater than IA days in the anthracite
mines of Pennsylvania.
Newcastle (Australia) Labor council
has requested the Sydney body to con,
vene labor congress looking to the
adoption of some means to prevent all
future strikes
For the first time In many years the
union house card is to be displayed In
restaurants and cafes in San Francis.
co that are employing union culinary
workers.
A war bonus averaging 70 cents per
week has been given by South Upper
AIRY Ureiand) county council to its
workmen on account of the high prices
of food.
The total killed and injured workers
for the year 1916 in Pennsylvania
reached the staggering number of 251,-
4SS, OF that number 1851 died
Denver tColo.) Stage Employees
union has signed an agreement with
theater managers Wages are increased
from $3.50 to s. week,
A bonus of Is per cent of their year
" earnings will be paid to about TO-
600 Porto Riean sugar workers next
July, provided they do not strike.
The various structural iron workers
unions of the California bay counties
have voted to affiliate with the Iron
Trades council Of San Francisco.
Canadian Manufacturers association
is securing the names of women able to
Take tie places Of men In the PROV
ince OF British Columbia
Compulsory service for women is
under discussion in England. 1t would
apply to munitien and clerical work
for the government.