Republican farmer., 1919-07-18
(. Q. p. P.LEADERS ALREADY KILL.
 LABOR BILLS
Employment, Training and
 Welfare Aids Defeated.
MOON AMENDMENT
 KILLED FOR STARTER
Will Reduce Railroad Wages
 Says Rep. Tess.

evident from the attitude of Repub-
 iican leaders of Congress that the la- boring man must expect the defeat Of
 every policy and measure in which
 he is interested. The Department of
 Labor is to be Handicapped in it's up
 lift endeavors and already it has felt
 the heavy hand of the "Old Guard" There is a great contrast between
 the record of the Democra ts and that of the Republicans in respect to this calss of legislation. Under the old regime the Republicans heard but did not heed the appeals of labor. The Democrats passed such measures in
 the form in which they were de-
 manded.
 Here are some of the beneficial laws enacted by the Democrats: The eight-hour law, the bill establishing a children's bureau, the child-labor bill, the bill providing for the safety
 of railway employees, the bill for bu-
 reau of labor safety, and others. The Republican leaders of this Con-
 gress were not long in showing their
 animosity toward ambitious working men and women who would better their condition. Only a few days af- ter Congress met the attack began. The killing of the Moon amendment to the bill to return the wires was the first open Republican thrust at the workers. The wire measure provided that the rates for service be not re- duced for a certain time. The Moon proposition added that no reduction | of wages of the telegraph or tele- | phone employees now in effect shall be made so long as the rates fixed Iby the Postmaster General are effec- | tive"
 Almost to a man, under the leader ship of Representative Frank w. Mon q 6nI1 of ,ir,or D posed and the Democrats supported | that amendment. That was the first | opportunity the Republican leaders | had to strike at labor and they struck
 A few days later, Representative F'ess 1 of Ohio declared with fiery vigor that
 the wages of railroad employees would | be reduced by the Republicans | The interests of the workers were 1 either ignored or compromised by the Republican majorities in recent con ferences between the House and the Senate committees on appropriation bills
 Here are labor organizations or
 services crippled or destroyed out | right by Republican leaders: The United States Employment l service, which has done a great work
 In finding jobs for returned soldiers and discharged war workers has y carry out an adequate program. The House made no provision for this l service. although its director, John B. Densmore, asked for S2,00O,00O. When the bill, which should have | carried an appropriation, went to the Senate. the sum of S400,00O was add ] ed through an amendment offered by Senator Robinson of Arkansas. In | conference this was reduced by Sena- ! | and would have remained at that 1 figure if Senator Robinson had not | protested and demanded that the | provision be sent back to confer 1 ence. Aided by Senator Kenyon a | Progressive Republican, Senator Rob- l inson won his fight. The amount | allowed is too small for comprehen- 1 sive work, but 1t will tide the ser | vice over until another appropria-
 tion bill is passed.
 Denouncing the Republicans for | their action in this matter, Senator | Robinson said:
 You cannot Justify destroying the l labor service on the theory that pri- | vate employment agencies, municipal | and state bureaus will take. adequate care of 1t. The ignorance prevailing | on this subject IS reflected in the dec | laration recently made that practical | ly all the states have employme ent l services. According to the informa- ] ton coming to me, there are c>ily | fourteen states that make any pre- ! tense Of maintaining employment bureaus"
 Workers are very much interested | in the Woman in Industry Seryicc" | of the Department of Labor, which | was 'submarined" by the Repubn- cans. Instead of the s300,O0O re- | quested for this organization which | has been busy formulating standards | urging state labor laws, opposing night work for women and advocat- i ing other conditions to improve the | status of the woman worker for this ] service the last fiscal year was $15O,- | 900, some Of which remained unused l July l.
 l Miss Mary A. Van kleeck was at | the head of this work for the better nent of women. It is believed that | the s4O,ooO appropriated was donated l as a sop to woman voters. The Working Conditions Service. | another labor organization, asked for l s212, ,82O, but got nothing. Last year | it had $45,0oo. Under the leadership l of Grant Hamilton, this service ac- complished great deal for the betterment of labor. Its purpose was | to improve the working conditions of l the wage earners of the United States. It was destroyed by the | failure of the Republicans to provide | funds for its maintenance. The Information and Education | Service. the purpose of which was to promote sound sentiment in indus | trial plants, to combat unsound in 1 dustrial philosophies and to acquaint | the public with labor conditions sought appropriation of S736,40O and received nothing. Last year 1t had $225, 5,010.
 The Investigation and Inspection Service asked for $300,0O0 and re- | ceived nothing. The sum of $30O,OOO was provided last year. The service 1 now goes out of existence. This was war emergency service, but labor | Ing people asked that it be kept up. | IS it would aid in bettering working conditions in the nation.