The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1917-05-23

Labor to the State Board Of Health.
| Z. Larger appropriations for the
states public health service should be,
granted. %Ss&@ :; "
: A copy Of the full report Of this com
mission lsSalso appended to this mes
full 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
stead of nine members, and that COM
missioner Of health be appointed to
have full authority over health mat
ters. 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.
ment should be made by board or by
the Governor is not. In my opinion.
very important If 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
able safeguards to adjust his salary.
The length Of the term of such an ap-
pointee should be indefinite and In all
cases where 1t can be done the Legis-
lature should prescribe as high quail.
1cations 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
a 70 no M,
for its children through its 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
those interested in this matter, 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
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 a bill to which the Legis-
lature, it is 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 1egis-
lation. It 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-
less Interference with economic free
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,
the Improvement Of all conditions I'M
der which men work, the shortening
Of their hours of labor to the lowest
possible point, and 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 full, fair share Of the access
series of life
Industrial Disputes.
There are times in this state as we'll
as elsewhere when employees feel that
they are not getting that to which
they are entitled. either in wages or
serious strikes take place. The state
executive is 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 is known as
the State Board of Arbitration. The
existing law upon this subject provides
that when a 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 be paid the
members Of the board for such work
that they should leave their homes or
places of labor 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
Iu0 DOdTu 81 DIS 70 CO1upe1 tn6Iu TO act,
nor has he any authority to subpoena
witnesses for the purpose Of acquiring
knowledge as to the truth or falsity
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 as
to give him the power to appoint, for
each particular strike IL in his opinion
1t is necessary to intervene, men who
are familiar with the work in which
the strikers are engaged and with the
business to be investigated. or who, for
some other reason, would be especially
qualified to assist in adjusting labor
conflicts. There should be no perma-
nent board of arbitration, but whenever
a strike is threatened the Governor
should have the right, If the situation
is sufficiently serious, to appoint three
fair and impartial citizens, whose duty
it should be to induce both sides to
designate committees to represent them
and thus try to get them to adjust, il
possible, in a peaceab1e manner the
differences that have arisen between
employer and employee. It is not the
intention that the men so appointed
should be empowered to compel arbi-
tration, If such a thing were possible,
but to act as conciliators between the
contending parties with full power to
subpoena witnesses and to make a full
investigation Of the claims and de-
mands of the strikers and of all the
condifiona aurr0r1ndinp their emnlov.