South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-27
INDIANA MUST
ANSWER LABOR
Action of Recent Republican
Legislature Unsatisfactory
to Working Forces.
BY Horace TT. Herr.

forces viii play a more important
part in the next political campaign +
IN Indiana than ever before. Ma
tional labor forces viii concentrate
on influencing The political situation
in Indiana as never before. or
course there is a reason.
The American Federation OF La
boris headquarters are in Washing
ton. The national officials. since
the war began. have been devOting
their energy 10 winning the war. to
handling the labor problem incident
20 the war. and 20 doing ever. hing
possible 10 safeguard labor inter
ests in the peace negotiations and
in the reimbursement policies.
Given Slap I'm Indiana.
But the big rush t. over. Nation
al labor leaders have some time 20
recstablish contact with various dis
tricts and take some heed OF local
conditions which. during the war.
were held 10 be OF such a secondary
character as 20 preclude careful con-
sideration and action
National leaders are discovering
that In the least legislature in In
diana the labor interests were given
a kick in the seat OF the pants and
there appears 20 be "a determination
TO fix the responsibility and 10 take
the field for punitive political action.
Got No Consideration.
Labor's legislative committee was
before the last legislature I'm Indiana
asking for a few laws that would
improve Indiana conditions Il got
no consideration worth mentioning.
This despite the "glittering gener-
alities" OF pleasant promises and
near promises made by the Indiana
administration In the last cam
paign. The failure TO perform will
confront the men who were respOns-
ible for the failure regardless of
where they show up in 1920
whether on the national or state
ticket
The legislative record, or lack OF
one. isn't the only thing which ma
tional leaders insist must be eX-
p.ained before labor will be justified
in following the present Indiana
state administration i'm future politi-
cal campaigns. There is a growing
suspicion that the super vision OF
labor and its interests during the
war was a farce in Indiana. Perhaps
il was the sort of supervision that
d'dn't supervise; that the council OF
defense. dominated by a republican
governor who was a persistent and
pernitious critic OF the national ad-
ministration, did much camoufiaging
a a M az Off rF 70
out the national policy in the protec-
tiOn OF war laborers, both men and
women.
Reports on Indiana Women.
Mary Van KlceCk, director of the
Woman in Industry Service of the
department of labor. recently sub
mite da report to Gov. Goodrich on
the result OF her investigation in the
state one hundred and twelve in
dustrial plants were visited. The
east Is just learning about this re-
port. The Washington correspOn-
dent OF THE Public (New York
city, comments on the Indiana sitn-
alton in such fashion as justifes
some anxiety for the republicans
who have attempted 10 soft-soap the
state into believing that the present
Indiana administration is for human
policies in industry Among other
things the Public's correspondent
says.
The record OF those 112 plants
indicates to what extent the super
vision over the health and safety Of
Indiana women may be intrustcd to
private employers II is very gen
orally accepted, for instance. that
continuous employment for more
than eight hours is injurious. This
has been so thoroughly established
that even the supreme court of the
United States admits IL. Only ten
per cent Of the factories inspected
III Miss Van Kleeck's survey have
an eight hour day. In a third Of
them ten hours is the rule, with no
overtime. Individual instances were
found Of women working as long as
65 hours a week in a clothing fac
tory. IS hours a week in one can
merry. and 81 hours in another can
merry. The last OF these will bear
more or less examination as il is
equivalent 10 "A 12-hcur day. seven
days a week. A casket factory OPP
crates on a 75-hour week for wom-
en-.
Two Phases OF Matter.
zone little woman reported that
she got breakfast for the family.
took the baby 10 the nursery, and
was at work at a. m. and worked
until p m, with one hour of at
noon. After that she came for the
baby. got supper. did the family
washing. and went 10 bed at mid
night"
There are two phases Of this mat
ter challenging the attention OF Ia
Dor leaders. First. these conditions
could have been prevented by the
right sort OF action on the part OF
the state council Of defense OF which
VIII Hays was chairman for a long
time. second. the governor OF In
diana, in his message 20 the legls-
Iature. made a few remarks suggest
ing that he favored the protection
o. women in industry. but thus far
II Is not discovered that the gov
ernOr or the legislature made a very
remarkable effort 10 set such law
passed as would meet the situation