The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-02-15
DEPARTMENT OFLABOR
WANTS BUREAU OF MINES
BELIEVE CHANGE WOULD PIE
VENT COOPERATION BY THE
MINE OPERATORS.

After the failure of several legis-
latve plans to transfer the bureau OF
mines from the department of the in
terror to the department of labor a
more pretentious effort to accomplish
this purpose has been launched, says
Mining Congress Journal The secre-
tary of labor in letter to the speaker
of the house of representatives makes
certain recommendations along this
line Along with the bureau of mines,
the secretary of labor proposes that
his department be given jurisdiction
over all, or part, of the work at
present being done by the public
health service, the office of markets
and rural organization, steamboat in
spection service, the bureau of naviga-
ton, the interstate commerce COM
and Cancellation.
Opposed by Mining Men.
With the influence of a cabinet Of
ficer behind such a proposal, 1t is ex-
pected that an active effort to this
end will be made. Many friends of the
bureau of mines are very much OPP
posed to this action. They feel that
operators Of mines will not be willing
to cooperate, at least to the same eX-
tent, in the work of the bureau II 1t
becomes a part of the department of
IoA ;c hncti1itv tho
part of the mine operators toward the
department of labor, it is generally
believed here, but operators and en-
ployers generally regard the depart
ment as being primarily and above all
in the interest of the employees. To
bear this out is the declaration OF
Secretary Wilson himself. With re-
gard to administering his department
he says: II have regarded it as con-
templating a development of diplo-
matte duty with reference to labor dis
putes analogous to those of the de-
partment of state with reference to
rational controversies. AS it is the
duty of the department of state to
represent our nation with fairness to-
ward all other nations, so it is the
duty of the department of labor to
represent wage earning interests with
fairness toward all other industrial
interests"
Would Close Records.
Despite the fact that the suspicion
is probably unjust, many employers
are of the impression that the depart
ment of labor is not averse to further
ing movements looking to special priv
ileges for labor organizations. For
this reason it is regarded as highly
probable that they will refuse to open
their records and entrust their bust
ness secrets to a bureau in the depart
ment of labor. AS the success of most
scientific and technical work conduct
ed by the government depends on an
intimate degree of cooperation with
employers, very important feature or
the work of the bureau of mines prac-
tically would be nullified If the action
should be taken which is recommended
by the secretary of labor.
In the organic act establishing the
department of labor, its duties are pre-
scribed as being, ITO foster, promote
and develop the welfare of the wage
earners of the United States That
II Is very necessary to carry out such
duties to a large portion of the popu-
.lation apparently is generally admit
ted, and employers are in accord with
plans looking to the welfare of their
employees There are few of them,
however, who wish to combine with
such work the scientific Investigations
being done in the interest of the min
ing industry by the government.