The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-05-05
MINIMUM-WAGE LAS UPHELD
First Compulsory Statute t. Come Be.
fore United States Supreme Court
Declared Constitutions.

mum-wage statute ever before the Su-
preme court, was upheld as constitu-
tional by an equally divided court.
Similar compulsory laws of flashing
ton, Colorado. Wisconsin, California.
Utah, Minnesota and Ohio were like
wise sustained. The Supreme court
court also upheld as constitutional the
Oregon law limiting labor of men In
mills factories and manufacturing es-
adjustments to ten hours day, but
permitting ID hours labor If paid time
and-a-half for overtime. 1t was the
first general-hours-of-labor state law
ever before the Supreme court.
The services of the entire organizay
ton of the United Brotherhood of Car
penters and Joiners of America, which
has a membership of about 270000,
was offered to the government in the
war pursuant to a resolution adopted
by the general executive board of the
brotherhood. The resolution says the
service offered is that of mechanics In
whatever manner they may be most
needed.
Chicago electrotypers secured five
year agreement through arbitration
with these wage increases: Foremen,
So a week; molders, So week; finish
ers 81 week for the first year and an
additional 81 for last two years
j branchmen, 50 for first year and 81 a
week for the last two years.
To retain good miners and especial
ly machine drill operators, in the pros
| porous Leadville district, the large
! companies have increased the wages
of ordinary miners from $3.50 to $3.50
per shift, with 80 cents to 81 extra for
drill men,, There are about eighteen
hundred men on the pay rolls.
In its report on the labor market to
January, 1917, the New York state de-
partment Of labor says the average
earnings for week of all employees,
both male and female, included In the
returns, were $15.26 in January, as
compared with 1883 In December.
The Pennsylvania State Industrial
board has announced that it would re-
Quire safety eye goggles or helmets Of
approved type for all persons employed
in chipping metal, dry-grinding, forg-
ing, sand-blasting and manufacturing
and handling acids.
WOrkmen who contract disease in the
course of employment are entitled to
compensation, according to decision
by Judge Audenreid in Philadelphia
unfolding an award made by the work
mems compensation board Of Pennsyl-
vania.
The adoption of free life insur-
ance plan for their 1900 employee
was announced by Gimble BrotAsA
! who operate department Stones
adelphia, New York and other
The policies, according to the aF
nouncement, will aggregate S3,000,0D.
In Germany thousands of women are
now said to be modified not far behind
the firing lines, doing much of the
work of transport, digging trenches,
building shelters, assuming any service
likely to relieve men of fighting abil-
ity.
During the year 1882, the workers
day in the mills of New England
ranged from u to Is hours in length.
Even so late as 1874 the day started
at five o'clock in the morning and end
ed at seven o'clock in the evening.
The Canadian department of labor
has informed the city of Montreal that
the city has full powers to investigate
charges Of combining TO maintain
prices and also to prosecute persons be-
lieved guilty of so combining.
The formation of British army d.
vision to be composed largely of young
clergymen has been suggested, as 26.-
600 clergymen have received circulars
asking them to accept assignments to
government work.
Through the efforts of the British
minister of labor, who will endeavor
to eliminate woman drivers, a threat
ened strike of the drivers of buses
teams and taxis In London has been
averted.
In Texas joint legislative board,
composed Of State Federation of La
Dor, railroad firemen, bricklayers, car
penters and railroad telegraphers, has
drawn up long list of demands.
The Walters union of East st.
Louis, H., has secured agreements
with Belleville restaurants that pro-
vide for minimum wage of Sc q
week and ten-hour work day.
Massachusetts has a home-building
plan, under which the state proposes
to erect workingmen's homes to be
sold to applicants on terms of easy
payment.
Fifteen thousand bitumlnous coal
miners throughout eastern Ohio re
Gently celebrated the anniversary Of
the enactment of the eight-hour day
! law.
: Nearly half of the 2,400 or 2,5O(
2 London (England) omnibus conduct
resses now In service are former do
: nestle servants.
{ Calgary, Canada, miners ask for al
eight-hour workday.
| From mines in Japan and South
z MoDphlIrio tho Ianopoco ora u,fnfY.s