The Northwest worker. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1915-1917, 1917-03-29
1917 LEGISLATURE WORKED FOR
PUBLIC SERVICE CORPORATIONS
Legislative Representative of Washington Federation
Labor Sizes Up 'WOrk" of Last esson-Labor Got All 1t
Had Right to Expect-NIust Elect Own Men to Get Re-
suts-First-Aid Measure Not Satisfactory Workers.

presented by the railroad brother
hoods, got little further than any
Of the others. This bill passed The
senate by safe majority, but missed
in the house by two votes. The rail.
road boys then got busy and secured
pledge Of sufficient votes to pass
the bill on a reconsideration, but ir
the meantime enough of the members
who voted for the bill on the first
ballot changed over to effect second
defeat. You may call this whip-saw-
ing or embarrassing, just as you
wish. Labor's "frst-aid" bill, the
printers bills, the labor commission
er's bills, and all other labor matters
went the same Way-for the members
of this Legislature were not for labor.
How different, though, with the pub
lie service corporations! The legis-
lature was constantly at their beck
and call. Whatever they wanted went
through with little difficulty, and the
legislators always found ample time
in which to give the interests of these
people full consideration. Witness the
passing of the five years extension of
time to power companies of the state
in which to comply with the safety
spacing bill enacted at the 1913 ses-
sion. At that time the power com
panies agreed upon this law in con-
ference with the linemen of the state.
when it was agreed that the companies
were to have five years in which to
complete the work of spacing their
high-power lines with some degree of
wires so that linemen might work on
safety. The companies did not COM
ply with the law that they agreed upon
at that time, and came to this legis-
lature asking for a five-year extension.
They did not come with clean hands.
and had no right to ask for the bill.
Even now the linemen have no assur-
ance that the companies will comply
within the time granted, and the legis-
that certain percentage of the work
be done each year as a guarantee of
good faith. There is nothing now to
prevent the companies from coming
back third time, thus extending the
time for this work for a period of Is
years, while they go on killing men
from electrocution because of work.
ing on wires that are strung so closely
together that it is practically impos-
sible for man to work without com
ing in contact with the deadly cur,
rent.
First-Aid Not Satisfactory
The only piece of constructive legis-
lation enacted from the standpoint of
the working men of the state is the
Reed-McCoy first-aid bill, and this
is far from satisfactory to labor ,inas-
much as it violates all the funda-
mental principles of social compensa-
ton for injuries arising from the in
herent hazard of industry. However.
the bill sets in motion the principle
of first aid" and affords a consider
able measure of relief that injured
workers have not heretofore received
in this state. In its operation during
the next year a large experience can
be worked out in the administration
of first aid that will be invaluable to
labor as a basis from which to work
out such amendments to the law as we
may care to go with to the next SEES
sion of the legislature, or to seek
through the initiative. AS the years
go by this law will need much amend
ing along these lines before labor can
begin to receive what is justly it's due.
Let US hope that the voters of the
state will take note of the inequaIi-
ties of this law and see to it that it
is improved along the lines of labor's
demands.
l would not omit any good thing the
legislature did, so must commend it
for its refusal to inject the curse of
militarism into the public schools of
the state by defeating House Bill No.
5, which provided for compulsory
training for all male pupils in the high
schools having an enrolment of so
or more. Also it refused to pass a com
pulsory military training bill for all
male citizens of the state
Let the lesson of this legislature to
the people of the state be one that
will prompt them to give some atten-
ton to the selection of men and
women who will represent the pro
gressive views Of the people Of Wash
ington, as indicated by their votes or
the referred measures last election
Elect men and women who stand fol
humanitarian measures; who stand fol
education and advancement; men whc