The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-03
LABOR STANDARDS
ADVANCE DURING WAR
Virginia in Workmen's Compensation
Camp-Child Labor Laws strength
ened--.Anti-Loafin Laws.

New York. Sept e.--I.abor stand
ards in war time have continued to
advance in spite of scattering attem p' i
to suspend measures for ~tff~ protec-
ton OF the industrial army, and gains
through legislation have been greatt!
augmented by presidential orders un~
der authority of congress 10 meet the
national emergency, according 70 the
summary of labor laws enacted during
1918 in "a score of states and in con
gress, just issued bs the American As
sociation for Labor Legislation.
Protective labor legislation. won
through long years of effort has
proved a sound basis upon which -
maintain and increase the efficiency
and sustained fitness OF industrial
workers" says the secretary. DIR. John
h. Andrews. t'Recognizing this, the
federal government and the states
have almost unanimously insisted
upon UNFOLDING, enforcing and ex-
tending labor laws. Virginia is the
latest recruit in the workmen's conf
pensation camp making forty
states and territories now having this
form OF social insurance, in addition
TO the model act of the federal gov
eminent for iIs million civilian efft :
.ploye =. and the soldiers, and sailors
insurance act. The most important So
cial insurance measure adopted by
amy country. With the experience
before them of the helligerent coun-
tries OF Europe. which have in the
midst of war. greatly extended the
benefits of their social insurance sys-
TENS, official commissions in eight
states have continued their investi~
cations of universal health insurance,
called by SUPERINTENDENT Rupert
Blue the next b'g step in Americas
labor legislation. The supreme
courts adverse child labor decision
was a. temporary setback. but the in
dividual states continue to throw pro
tections around the employment or
children Several states, notably New
York, have this year regulated wo-
mems hours and conditions o. work
and have improved safety and health
safeguards Nine states brave enacted
compulsory work laws as war-atd
measures. OF .far-reaching national
import is the passage by congress OF
the law providing for the rehahiiita
ton and reeducation of crippled sol
diers and sailors and their restora-
ton to sefsustaining Industrial pur-
spits. Following this lead. Massa :
chusetts has provided for similar re-
Mobilization OF crippled victims of In
dustrial injuries. Likewise signifi-
u
der OF the war labor board to improve
Industrial relations. the war labor
policies to establish proper standards
OF wages. hours and working condf-
tons as well as housing OF workers.
and the expansion OF the federal efn-
ployme Mt service 10 meet the urgent
need of intelligent placement of
labor.
Seeiai iHsHfsafst,tA.
emphasizing anew the lnfoaus
made bv wurkrueu-s compensation III
the solid south" with North Da-
kota the only northern state remain
ing without such protection, a work
mems compensation law was enacted
this year in Virginia In several ad-
ditional states existing compensation
laws were amended, the changes
marking "A continued tende ncy to ex-
tend the scope. shorten the waiting
period and increase the benefits
Kentucky extended her law to cover
all employers of three or more per-
sons and cut the waiting period from
two weeks to seven days. Louisiana
found it necessary to penalize en-
ployers for deducting the cost of in
surance from employees wages and
Gre ated n commission to report and
plan for other forms Of social insur-
ance and state insurance for public
buildings Porto Rico. with an ex-
elusive state insurance fund. and New
York. with competitive state fund.
have found 1t possible to liberalize
their laws. while Massachusetts, has
slightly increas her minimum
benefit. The movement for universal
workmen's health insurance, to pro-
tect wage earners and their families
against the hazards OF sickness as
workmcn's compensation now safe :
guards them when injured, has con-
tinued to gain in Impetus, with off,-
cial commissions in eight states at
work preparing the way for legisla-
tion.
safety and Health.
Three states passed bills further re-
stricting employment of children.
New Jersey and Virginia. strength
ened their child labor laws. extending
the scope ana nature Of employment
4.f