Denver labor bulletin., 1918-01-05
ALL HUMANITARIAN LAWS
ARE SUSTAINED.
Women's Eight-Hour and Chill
dren's Statutes Enforced In
Spite of Appeals To Set
Them Aside by Prohteers.
By W. l.. MORRISSEY
Deputy State Labor Com missioner

BY W. l.. MORRISSEI
Deputy State Labor Comm missioner.
The state labor department was con-
fronted with many perplexing prob
lens during 1917. For the most part
they grew out of the unusual condi-
tions following the entrance of the
United States into the great world
conflict. Some Of them, however. were
the result Of the gradual evolution of
social, economic and industrial condi-
tions. These latter had 20 be met and
solved without the aid Of precedent
II would be a difficult task 10 single
out the most important Of the depart
mental activities At the outset we
were confronted with the necessity Of
bearing down heavily upon a certain
class Of employers, who, either mis-
understanding the policies Of the fed
eral government, or deliberately at
tempting TO circumvent the law, en-
tered upon policy Of non-observance
of the woman's eight-hour law, child
labor law. and other humane meas
ures.
A strict enforcement of these stat
utory measures at first brought down
criticisms upon our head. As time
went on and the trend of public senti-
ment seemed 20 sustain our stand, the
most caustic of our critics admitted
that war time was not period to
tranSgress laws, resulting, as was
clearly proved. in the lowering of the
production of wartime necessities.
Solved Many State Problems
Trnnsccnding in Importance. per
haps. the humanitarian questions of
the wear, was the labor problem ms il
applied to the industries and to orchard
and farm. During the summer months
n
shortage Of labor, the skilled and un-
skilled alike. On the Western Slope
the situation was acute and we cannot
refrain from modcstly assuming n
small modicum of credit for the solv-
ing of serious problem thru the ac-
tivities of the free employment bureau
at Grand Junction. which was kept go
ing thru the generosity of James K.
holland. secretary of state, who pro-
vidcd the money for its maintenance
out of his incidental fund.
The department co-opcrated with
the county agricultural agents, with
the federal bureau of labor represent
atives, and with the various state
boards in an effort to prevent waste
Of crops because of an unequal dis
tribution of labor. We suggested to
the congress of the United States that
some means be provided of transport
ing men from one state to another Mt
seasonal periods in order to prevent
waste of farm products. We still
maintain that this plan is feasible ard
will bring results.
To Avoid Waste of Labor.
We are of the opinion that having
learned some valuable lessons by ex-
perience of the past year we will be
able to the more effectively aid Colo
RADIO to solve its labor problems dur
ing the coming summer. With a scar
city of workers in all lines during the
spring and summer and surplus later
in the year, It was seen that some sys-
tematic effort should be put forth to
avoid duplication of effort in 1918.
Working to this end we have devoted
no small amount of time during recent
weeks to the question of cooperation
between the state free en- ,.loymcnt bu-
rcaus under our jurisdiction and the
free labor information bureaus which
have been established in various To-
calitics by commercial associations
and other bodies.
Inasmuch as this bureau is charged
with the enforcement of the woman's
eight-hour law, the factory inspection
and child labor statutes, it may not be
amiss TO say that our experience has
revealed conditions in Colorado which
need rcmedying and we hope to be
able to prevail upon the next regular
legislature to amend certain laws in
n manner which we feel will bring
about betterment of industrial and
social conditions in the state.
Keep Children in School.
The attendance records of the
schools of the state shows higher
percentage of pupils in the schools
than at any time in recent years. We
have been informed that this is large
ly due to the firm stand taken by this
department early in the spring rclat-
ing to the employment of children in
the beet fields and Mt other forbidden
occupations during school hours. The
child labor law is faulty and needs re-
vamping to make it effective.
During the year not less than 5000 |
employees wer, affected by the insist
ence Of this bureau upon compliance
with the woman's eight-hour law. |
Mnny large institutions which have |