The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-07-07
ALL LIABILITY
/ LAWS ARE UPHELD
Recent Decisions of Highest
Court Sustain Three Types
of Legislation.
POSITION RENDERED SECURE
Some of Statutes Are Compulsory and
Some Are Elective But All Are
Held to Be Constitutional
Other News of Labor World.


recent decisions sustaining the vail.
dity of certain workmen's compensa'
ton laws rendered secure the position
Of this class of legislation, so far as
the federal constitution is concerned
Awards totaling many thousands OF
dollars and extending over the lifetime
of beneficiaries were involved. One OF
these decisions upholdS the law OF
New York, compulsory in regard to
compensation but allowing options as
to insurance; another that of Wash
ington, likewise compulsory, but in adj
dition requiring all employers under
the act to contribute to state insur-
ance fund from which all payments to
benefiCiaries are made; while the third
sustains the Iowa statute, which is
elective, permitting employers and EN-
plOyees to choose whether or not they
will adopt the system of compensation.
The three general types of compensa-
ton legislation were therefore under
review, and the constitutionality of ev
cry essential feature of the laws was
sustained.
Washington coal mine workers will
be higher paid than those of any other
state, except in certain portions of
Montana, under the terms Of an agree
ment signed by wage scale commit
tees representing the United Mine
Workers Of America, district No. 10,
and the Washington Coal Operators
association. The schedule of increases
granted includes a raise of so cents q
day for all classes of labor, specified
and unspecified, except miners, timber
men and track layers, who are to re-
ceive the Montana scale, which is
SAD a day. Picking table men are
to receive an increase of 60 cents a
day and proportionate raises are
| granted in other classes of work.
Injuctions against labor unions I'M
der the Sherman antitrust law, the
United States Supreme court has de-
cided, can be obtained only by the
| government and not by private per-
sons. Injunction proceedings brought
by an "open shop" woodwork manu-
facturer to restrain New York carpen-
ters' unions and others from refusing
to work on their products were dis
missed by the court.
The Massachusetts house of repre-
sentatives amended a committees ad-
verse report on the so-called "48-hOur
bilP' by providing for 50-hour work
week for, women and minors engaged
in industries and mercantile establish
ments. The present Massachusetts
law provides for maximum work
week of "a hours for women.
A decree ordering the sale of the
homes of $40 wOrkmen in Danbury,
Bethel and NOrwaIk to satisfy the
judgment in the Danbury hatters' case
was signed by Judge F.. S. Thomas of
the United States district court. The
Judgment was for 1852, 100 damages in
union boycott of the product of the
hat factory
A machine for stripping hemp fiber
has been invented by an American in
the Philippines which will produce
800 pounds of hemp a day, while
under old methods workman, with
an assistant, produced only 10 pounds.
East Liverpool co., Retail Clerks
union has secured an agreement with
local merchants which closes stores
every evening except Saturdays at five
o'clock from July 5 to October l. The
usual holidays will also be observed.
Private control of railroads in Eng
land Is thing of the past Govern
ment control was adopted as a war
measure in August 1914. 1t has
worked so well that the principle will
be retained when peace returns.
A new pension system under which
aged clergymen can receive pensions
went into effect recently in the Protest
ant Episcopal church. Another provi-
sion makes widows and orphans Of the
clergy also eligible for pensions.
Gillispie Ol.) Cooperative society
has paid dividends of per cent to
members The total resources of this
organization are $2S,477.26 and the
membership totals 224
Joliet Qll.) organized machine mold
ers have secured a new wage schedule
which establishes a minimum of $4.25
n day, an Increase of so cents day.
A 10 per cent increase in wages fol-
5000 employees of the Fore River Ship
building corporation was announced
by President Joseph W. Howell.
BY an order of the British minister
of munitions women engaged or
skilled munition work will receive the
same wages as men.
Halifax and Sydney (Nova Scotia)
Trades and Labor councils have passed
resolutions urging government contro
of foodstuffs.
Time and pieceworkers in all the
British shipyards will receive an ad
vance of $1.25 week.
Dallas (Tex.) Brewery Workers
union has raised wages 50 week anC
reduced working hours.
In Michigan BARRIERS apprentices
must serve two years before they c1I
secure a state license.
Canada is fostering the invention O
machinery to reduce the labor cost o
aaxlaising.