The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-03-30
By E. P. Marsh,
President Washington State Fedora
tion of Labor

tion of Labor
The state labor commissioner in
troduced a bill in the last session of
the Legislature at Olympia to in
crease the per diem of his factory
inspectors from $4 to SIS. There was
no question but that they were en-
titled to it. They are hard working
officials. They are continually in the
field, not only inspecting factories and
workshops, but aiding in rounding
up violators of labor laws. They are
out in all kinds of weather visiting
isolated places of employment The
cost of beefsteak and potatoes has
increased for them just as it has for
you and l, but they have no raise in
pay since the year one.
The increased pay would not have
come out of the pockets of the gen.
eral taxpayer. The salaries of the in
spectors come out of the fees paid
by employers for inspection. At the
close of this biennium $1,000 was
turned back from this appropriation
to the general fund unexpended. The
employers wanted this bill passed.
Two hundred letters and kilograms
were sent to the Legislature by en-
ployers throughout the state urging
the passage of this bill The en-
ployers reasoned that if there was
to be efficient inspection of machin-
cry it must be done by men who
knew their business, and it was alb
surd to expect to hire such men to-
day for Sd a day. 1 say this with
no reflection upon the present force,
for it is composed of capable men,
but they are entitled to an increase in
pay and cannot be expected to stay
with the state if offered more lucra-
tive positions. But the rules commit
tee of the Senate said No, and the
bill died there
The labor commissioner had an
other bill up before the Legislature,
compelling the installation of blower
systems in shingle mills to carry off
the poisonous cedar dust. If the ac-
tual statistics covering the number of
workmen engaged in the production
shingles who are afflicted with some
form of throat or lung trouble due
directly to cedar dust were available
they would be startling. For some
idea of the prevalence of such dis
ease read the partial survey made
by Mrs. Davies, a trained nurse and
investigator of occupational diseases.
1t will be found in the printed pro-
ceedings of the Everett convention of
the State Federation of Labor. This
bill passed the House and died ling
ering death in the Senate.
Six weeks without pay day Bills
of every description for the neces-
sites of life mounting up and en-
ployers doing business on the with
held wages of their employees. This
is no uncommon occurrence where pay
day falls but once a month. The
railroad boys have suffered for years
from the custom of paying but once
month and holding back 10, Is or
20 days pay, according to the day
of the month pay day falls. So
bill was introduced compelling
semi-monthly payday. No injustice
about it to employers. The bill
passed the Senate and was killed in
the House.
Our beautiful "two-house" system
of legislation
Labor had a model ''first-aid" bill
before the Legislature. 1t was simple
of operation, practical, business-like.
We argued the merits of this bill at
public hearing in the House cham
ber. Proponents of the Reed-McCoy
bill presented their arguments. After
it was over a state senator who was
present said to me; "Son, you peo-
pie had all the best of the argument,
but the other fellows have the votes. :"
We didn't need to be told that; it
was in the air that our bill was
destined for the legislative axe. 1t
got it.
How does it all happen?
One night in the House chamber
public hearing was being held on
the bill proposing to take the regula-
tion of jitneys and other ''for hire"
motor vehicles out of the hands of
cities and vest it in the public service
commission. The bill was obviously
a "Stone-Webster" measure, aimed
| OF tho vitaIs nf the daSnised iitnev