Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-01-04


granted. |
A copy of the full report Of this COM
mission Is also appended to this mes
sage and VIII, / trust. receive the care
fui consideration of the members OF
this body.
The reports of both the legislative
commission on changes in our civil ad- |
ministration and the commission on |
public health agree In recommending |
that the present advisory commission |
be abolished, that the State Board of |
Health be made to consist of five in |
stead Of nine members, and that a COM |
missioner of health be appointed to |
have full authority over health mat |
tiers, The two commissions, however, |
differ as to the method of appointing |
the commissioner Of health. One ia |
vors the appointment by the Board OF
Health, and the other by the Governor
The question as to whether an appoint |
ment should be made by board or by
the Governor is not, In my opinion,
very important IL the Legislature gives
to the appointing power sufficient au-
thority, with reasonable limitations.
when "A position requiring technical
training is involved the appointing
power should have the right to remove
the appointee and the power with suit
able safeguards to adjust his salary.
The length of the term OF such an APP
poIntee should be indefinite and in all
Iature should prescribe as high quail
flcations as can reasonably be applied
to those who are to be appointed.
Welfare of Children.
Closely connected with the question
of public health Is that of the welfare
of the child. This state has done much
for It's children through it's charitable
institutions. There is probably not
more than one or two states that are
ahead of Minnesota in this regard and
yet by reason of Inconsistencies and
omissions In our present laws relating
to children. 1t has been felt that the
statutes pertaining thereto should be
codified and revised. At the request of
those Interested in this matter, a com
| mission has been appointed for the pur-
pose of making "A thorough study OF the
subject and subsequently reporting
recommendations as to any changes
that are needed, This commission was
appointed In August of last year and
n preliminary report. which shows the
careful and comprehensive manner In
which the work of the commission Is
being done. Is appended to this address.
Their final recommendations Will be in"
corporated in n bill TO which the Legis
| lature It Ia to be hoped. will give the
attention that the Importance OF the
proposed measure deserves.
Labor Legislation.
| We have had, In the past, much
| enactment of law pertaining to the
rights of property as compared with
what we today call humanitarian legis-
| lation. 1t Is only forty years ago
| since the passage OF the first law in
volving the regulation OF hours OF la
| Dor, Such legislation was at that time
| regarded as extremely dangerous and
| when, thirty years ago. an attempt was
| made to keep children out Of factories
| such attitude was considered "a reck-
| I'M aF W
| dom" But changes are taking place
| and have taken place until, today, all
| fair minded men In public life believe
| In legislation tending to give adequate
| compensation for injuries sustained
| and to insure payment thereof. to Sc
| cure the ample protection of lives. the
| decrease in the number of accidents,
| tho Improvement of all conditions un-
| der which men work, the shortening
| of their hours of labor to the lowest
possible point. aud bring about as soon
| as possible that situation In which no
| man. who desires to work, shall be
| compelled to labor without receiving
| for his toll sufficient amount In
| wages to enable him and his family to
| live In such a manner as to secure for
| them their fun, fair share OF the access
series of life.
| Industrial Disputes.
| There are times In this state as well
| AS elsewhere when employees feel that
| they are not getting that to which
| they are entitled, either In wages or
conditions OF employment. AS a result
| serious strikes take place. The state
| executive IL then asked, not only TO use
| the National Guard to prevent disorder
| and riot. but, although he Is not au-
| thorized by law to do so, to attempt to
| settle such industrial controversies
! Notwithstanding the fact that we have
! at the present time what ia known as
t.t s..Na % A.f.s 4rr.t E.k,,
existing law upon this subject provides
| that when u majority of employees OF
! their employers make application
| therefor the said board shall visit the
locality. inquire into the dispute. hear
and advise all parties Interested" but
| the amount authorized TO he paid the
members OF the board for such work
| Is so small that Ii cannot be expected
| that they should leave their homes or
| places OF ahor or business to go to the
| locality involved for the purpose OF
| making thorough investigation of the
matter In dispute. The Governor has
no jurisdiction over the members OF
the board so as to compel them to act,
nor has he any authority to subpoena
| witnesses for the purpose OF acquiring
| knowledge ms to the truth or faisity
| OF the charges made by the strikers or
their employers If the Governor Is to
be expected to act in these matters the
| present law should be so amended a.
10 give him tho power to appoint. for
each particular strike IL In his opinion
IL Ia necessary to intervene, men who
are familiar with the work In which
the strikers are engC ged and with the
business to be investigated. or who fer
some other reason, would be especially
. qualified to assist in adjusting labor
| conflicts There should he no perma-
| nent board of arbitration, but whenever
| a strike is threatened the Governor
| should have the right, II the situation
| Is sufficiently serious, to appoint three
fair and impartial citizens, whose duty
il should be to induce both sides to
DESIGNATE committees to represent them
. and thus try to get them to adjust, IL
| possible, in n peaccahle manner the
differences that have arisen between
: employer and employee, II is not the
: intention that the men so appointed
should be empowered TO compel arbi-
tratlon, II such a thing were possible,
but Ia act rs conCiliators between the
, contenatng parties with full power to
a subpoena witnesses and TO make n full
: investigation OF the claims and de-
: mands Of the strikers and of all the
:, conditions surrounding their employ
:, ment so as TO procure definite and au-
a thorttative data upon which 10 act. Nc
a particular salary should be prescribed
- but a fund should he set aside for the
/ h. I'D