The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1917-11-30
STOP SWE:ATSHOp
UNIFORM MAKING
Plan Of New YuTk'S Commit.
tee on National DoloRsc.
FOR FAIR LABOR CONDITIONS

Thousands of Union Needle Workers
Have Been Idle Because Government
War Contracts Have Been In the
Hands of Contractors Who Violate
HeaIthful Working Conditions.
A plan to correct the evils of sweat
shop manufacture of army uniforms
has been submitted by the mayors 5
committee ON national defense to the
committee appointed by the war de
partment to investigate the situation,
says the New York World. The latter
committee consists of Louis e. kir-
stein of Boston, chairman; Mrs. Flor
ence Kelley of the Consumers league
and Captain Walter T.. Kreust of the
quartermaster's department.
The plan, made public by Thomas l..
Chadbourne, Jr., chairman OF the may
or's committee, provides for the for
feiture of contracts unless fair condi-
tions of labor are maintained. Govern
ment boards of inspection are to see
that these standards are consistently
maintained
The plan as made public by the
mayors committee is as follows:
Suggested policy for government to
adopt with reference to war contracts,
promising that the government is only
slightly less interested in having fair
labor conditions maintained in connec-
ton with government work than in
having the work itself economically
and promptly performed in this ma
tional emergency.
THE mayors committee on national
defense of New York proposed the fol-
lowing method Of safeguarding the
labor conditions:
"First.--Eyery contract should pro-
vide that it will be forfeited unless fair
labor conditions are maintained Fair
conditions should include
'(a) Compliance with the require
ments of the labor laws and orders and
regulations of the department of labor.
"(b) Maintenance of wages and hours
at least up to standards customary in
the trade prevailing rate of wages);
such standards to be determined as
quickly as possible through joint agree
ments between employers and employ
ees There are on file in the bureau of
labor statistics. department of labor,
Washington, tabulated records of pre-
yailing agreements in various indus
tries that would readily give the last
established rates of hours and wages
as a basis for negotiations.
"Second,-The government should or
ganize, directly or through local defense
councils and committees, boards of in
spection, with a proper force Of inspec-
tors, to see to it that standards are
properly established and maintained,
these boards to have power of enforce
ment as per C) Of this statement
These boards of inspection might uti-
lie as far as possible already existing
machinery for investigation, such as
the bureau of information and investi-
cation maintained by the employment
clearing house of the mayors commit
tee of women
Third. Firms now holding contracts
should be inspected as rapidly as pos
sible either by those same boards
Of inspection suggested in % or by
some other body of inspectors, and
those derelict in maintaining fair con
ditions should be barred from receiving
future contracts unless a definite plan
for Improvement satisfactory to the
board OF inspection is furnished.
"Fourth. Employers should be ad-
vtsed that they must come to some IN
derstanding with their employees for
the organization of machinery for the
making of collective agreements. such
machinery to give fun freedom to the
employees In the determination Of the
organizations to which they shall be
long for such purpose. Such collective
agreements shall include standard In
reference to wages ana hours and pro
visions for appeal to local boards of In
spection or mediation in settlement of
disputes and where necessary for final
appeal to d national board of arbitra-
tion.
Fifth. The city of New York points
out that 1t has some 100000 skilled gar
ment workers, half of whom are idle
and have been idle for some time A
situation os unemployment is rapidly
developing, while new markets are be
Ing developed elsewhere by the placing
of government contracts In new cen
ters where new and unskilled employ
ees are being utilized New York city
Is the logical market for the garment
Industries and contains more skilled
garment workers than any other mar
ket In the United States. These gar
ment workers, while highly skilled In
their own trade, are not employable for
other industries. There should be ere
ated board Of review, which will go
over all garment contracts as distrib
uted at present from the point Of view
of their proper apportionment SO that
future contracts will be given out with
due recognition of the Importance OF
the New York city market"
Minimum Wage In California.
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