The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-06-22
WHAT CONGRESS- S IS DOING Dol NJ !.

Designed to hasten aircraft produc-
ton, Senator Chamberlain has intro
duced a bill authorizing Director of
Aircraft Production Ryan to organ
lie a corporation under government
control to. produce aircraft and equip
ment. The bill provides that the gov
eminent shall at all times control the
majority of the stock, which shall
not exceed 100000, and that it's af-
fairs shall be under government SUI
pervision and general direction.
That 1t is in dead earnest about
ferreting out profiteering in this
country was demonstrated by the SEN
ate when it adopted unanimously a
second resolution on the subject sub
mittea by Senator Borah of Idaho
calling upon the federal trade COM
mission to supply the senate with all
available information it has relating
to war prof1teers. This information
will be used to supplement Informal
ton requested from the secretary of
the treasury on the Borah resolution
adopted last week.
Senator Sheppard of Texas has In
troduced an amendment to the army
bill intended to insure secrecy in the
transmission OF confidential govern
! ment messages, by authorizing the
president to take over and operate
existing cable, telegraph and telephone
systems.
SpcrQt9rV IF hn int IN
partment has called upon congress to
take steps to provide homesteads for
| the soldiers who will return from the
present war. There are at present, he
pointed out, 230,657,755 acres of avail
able land, much of which, however, al
though not suitable, could be re-
claimed. He urged an appropriation
for the reclamation of this land.
The bill for the rehabilitation of
disabled soldiers and sailors was
passed by the house. The measure
already has passed the senate. It car
! ries an appropriation of 100000 and
| is to be administered by a newly
| created Federal board for vocational
| education.
Representative barrow of Pennsyl-
Vania has introduced a general anti
| profiteering bill, which would affect
every municipality having a popula-
| ton of 10000 or more, and other areas,
| if designated by the president through
! executive order.
To meet the recent supreme court
decision in the child labor case, Rep
resentative Mason Of Illinois has in
troduced a resolution proposing an
amendment to the constitution which
would give congress power to either
prohibit or regulate the employment
of children under Is. He also offered
an amendment to the revenue bill fix
F.! ing a minimum salary of 50 day for
all minors under 16 employed in a
mine or quarry, and the same min
| imum wage for all minors under the
age Of ID employed in any mill, can
merry, workshop, factory or manufac-
turing establishment.
An amendment to the sundry civil
appropriation bill by Representative
Jeanette Rankin, fixing minimum
| wage of So day for women in the
bureau of printing and engraving, has
been rejected.
BY vote of Al to "a the senate has
rejected the Underwood proposal to
change the rules to limit debate for
the period of the war
Representative Farr of Pennsylvania
has introduced bill providing for
constitutional amendment giving con-
gress authority to control employment,
compensation and hours of labor of
children.
Responding to the appeal of Secre-
tary Lane that plans be made for re-
| claiming arid, swamp, and cut-over
! lands for returning soldiers, Senator
Sterling of South Dakota introduced
a resolution appropriating $1,000,000
for a survey of such lands to be made
under the direction of the interior
| department.
The house has passed an appropria-
ton bill turning over to President Will
| son $50,O00,000 as a personal war
! fund, sought by the president to in
! sure continuation of the Creel COM
! nittee on public information. In a
letter to Representative Sherley, the
| president indicated he feared congress
might attempt to curtail the work of
| Creers bureau by denying necessary
| appropriations.