South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-09-09
| Or LA VS.
DURING 1917
Annual Output of Legislation
Shows Gains For the
Workers.


suspend them during the war and
substantial gains have been made in
new legislation TO safeguard still
\ further the nations industrial army.
according TO the summary OF labor
] laws enacted during 1917 in a. states
and in c,.sress, just issued by the
American Association for Labor
/ Legislation.
! Upon the entrance Of the United
States into the great world war,
legal projections for the workers
were threatened by aE ill-advised
rush for results" says the secretary
I DR.. John 3. Andrews, but the ma
tion-wide campaign in which leading
! civic and labor organizations joined
/ forces 10 maintain existing stand
ards i'm the interest of maximum
production and of human conserva-
4 ton, has resulted i'm notable success.
+ Efforts 10 set aside labor's hard
I won standards on the mistaken plea
( of war necessity have been almost
/ completely checked
The years grist Of labor legisla-
( ton shows progress. and indicates
/ that protective laws for labor are
regarded by legislators not as mat
/ ter of sentiment but of sound econ
omics. Women's hours have been re-
duced i'm eight states. mems hours in
mines i'm two One additional state
enacted minimum wage legislation.
making IL i'm all. and two more have
set Investigating commissions to
/ work on the problem. Five new
states enacted workmen's compensa-
( ton laws. In eight states official
Ic commissions are studying universal
health insurance, the next big step
/ Ina American labor legislation
Health Insurance.
The movement for universal work
mems health insurance has made
rapid strides. The official commits
sions OF Massachusetts and Cali
\ fOrnia, which made favorable re-
/ ports early in 1917. have been con-
tinued for additional study with a
! view 10 public education and legis-
lation. New investigating commits
siOns were created in Connecticut
Illinois Ohio. Pennsylvania and Wis
( consin.
Hours.
For. women. Nevada and Montana
esta blished an eight-hour day in
Imany occupations and Ohio reduced
daily hours from 10 TO 9. New York
, extended it's nine-hour day and 81
| hour week TO restaurants. New
! Hampshire cut one hour off the pre-
/ vious 55-hour maximum. while Ne
| vada set a 56-hour limit. and Con-
/ pecticut "A 5S-hour maximum in Ger
/ tain emplOyments. Both Delaware
and Ohio restrict women's work to
six days a week. and the New York
statute 10 this effect now applies al
I so TO restaurants. The only state to
permit a general frightening of
/ legal working time for women was
/ wyoming. which increased its week
/ ly maximum from So to so hours.
/ War conditions, however. led New
Hampshire TO except from its wOm-
9 ems hour law manufacturers of
munitions for the United States dur
! ing war times. and Oregon and Cali
! fornia excluded from their eight
/
preparation of fruit. vegetables. and
fish For men. Kansas and Wash
| ington set up an eight-hour day in
mines.
/ Labor Standards i'm War Time.
Mistaken zeal at the entrance Of
/ the United States into the war led
! 10 the Introduction of bills i'm some
I legislatures designed TO break down
/ labor standards. In addition 20 laws
OF this type described under hours. 8"
4 Connecticut and New Hampshire
/ gave their governors power TO sus-
pend labor regulations on request of
I the council Of national defense.
Vermont. also. authorized similar
I action by the commissioner Of in
dustries with the consent of the gov
Ieruor and Massachusetts esta blished
/ a board OF FIVE members 10 grant
/ suspensions in individual cases after
la hearing.
Minimum Wage
/ Arizona established minimum
wage of $40 a week for women in
stores and factories. Illinois and
\ North Dakota established commits
sions 20 investigate wages and other
| conditions OF women in industry.
safety and Health.
Eleven states strengthened their
/ child labor laws. mainly by raising
\ age limits. extending existing restric-
tions 20 new empioyments. or short
ening hours Texas passed new
+ general statute setting l5-year
/ minimum age for factories. and Yer
mont provided for issuance of regu-
/ Iations i'm conformity with those of
( the federal child labor ac, which
went into effect sept. I with an APP
preparation OF $4,000 for its en-
/ forcement. Kansas and New Hamp-
| shire legislated on factory safe
/ guards Texas or fire escap pes. New
I Jersey on scanolding. Montana ON
/ electrical apparatus. Delaware on
/ sanitary equipment. and West Nir-
\ ginIa on mines AN following the
modern tendency to lay down i'm the
\ law merely general requirements.
/ leaving o. the labor commissioner.
| fire marshal board Of health. or
/ other administrative official. the duty
of issuing specific regulations. View
/ JERSEY forbade che manufacture of
articles OF food mr. thfidran'S wear in