Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1919-06-09

Dor board, United States employment
agency, women industry service, work
ing conditions service and the inyesti-
cation and inspection service.
The executive council suggests that
the convention authorize the printing
and wide circulation Of a list of meas
ures in which the American Federation
of Labor is interested. among which
are the bill fOrbidding immigration for
four years during the period of indus
trial reconstruction, a bill for an old
age retirement system for federal en-
pIoyees in the classified service, bill
providing minimum wage of three
dollars a day for federal employees,
Secretary Lanes bill to furnish land
for soldiers and sailors, bill to give
states the same power over products Of
convict labor from other states as they
exercise over the products Of their own
prisons, Industrial vocational education
for persons crippled In industry. in
creased pay for teachers and education
al ills designed to end dull illiteracy
in the United States.
Labor Funds Meager.
Appropriation for the department of
la Dor are discussed at some length 1t
is stated in the report that congress in
meager funds to that depart
ment '.has failed to interpret correctly
the spirit and trend Of present day de.
especially "at a time when
there is worldwide recognition Of the
Importance of industrial
problems
. I'VE maintain" the report continues,
that thu Importance Of the interests
1T issue and the faithful, loyal service
he workers have given the government
md society, have earned for us the
light to fair consideration in the ex-
oenditure of national funds.
"Meat Packing Monopoly"
r.
Discussing what is called the ''meat
packing monopoly" the council quoted
he report of the federal trade COM
to President Wilson and said
hat hearings by the house Interstate
commerce committee seemed to sLnw |
the existence of combina-
ion which not only controls and regu-
ates prices of beef, lambs, hogs and
,ther meat, but also eggs, butter, pou!-
ry, cheese, rice, fish, canned goods of
Ill descriptions, leather and WOOL
To Keep Wages Up.
Declarations Of policy Of wage
eduction came to our attention at La
edo, Texas where President Com
,ers introduced the subject in open con
erence and declared that labor would
esst to the utmost any policy of wage
This position has been affirmed since
hat date on many occasions and it was
lue 10 lHIS uVhpl ahu uSSASi'S o"S
YER to this challenge fully sustained by
abor that there has not been general
ssault on wages by employers who
arnot comprehend the trend of the
imeS.
s'The position of labor must he main
aimed and advanced at all hazards. 1t
5 the opinion of your executive coun-
il that no wages paid to American
rorkmen today are too high. but that
n the contrary wages far too low still
re paid in many industries. Progress
) the word today and the progress
,orth most and understood best is the
ind that reaches the individual in the
orm of better life. freer and larger
and more of the things by
,hich life is sustained and enriched.
he progress of our movement in re-
Iizing these things for the workers is
ot to be denied b. any influence or
bstacle."