The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-14
House Kills Labor Bill and Sup
ports Lima Bresette.
Charge That Secretary DOmi-
mated sold Man Mcbride"
AMOS IN SUPPORT OF LABOR
TOpekan ReSentS Martins Hint
OF Union BOIshevism.
''Taik About Sweat Shops in
Kansas Is TOmmyrOt."

House members today defeated the
state labor and industry board bill by
a vote of 65 to SO. Defeat of the Gill
man measure followed a two hours
fight and, roll call of the house in
committee of the whole. Anxiety to
clean up the house calendar before
tonight's adjournment was response |
bic for defeat of the bill
Miss Lima Bresette and not the
provisions of the bill was made the
issue in the house fight. Opponents
of the bill based their fight on the
measure largely on the charge that
the trainers of the Gilman bill sought
to leSislate the secretary of the wei
fare commission out of office or to
restrict her powers. Frank L. Mar
tin of Reno, answered the charge by
declaring that for two years Miss
Bresette had dictated the policies of
the state bureau of labor and had
dominated the actions of Paul Nc
Pride, state labor commissioner.
Wild desire of the house members
to reach local and minor bills before
tonishts adjournment gave to the OPP
pcnents of the Gilman bill the
strength which was necessary to
block passage of the proposed law
In spite of this effort, the bill reg
istered 81 votes on the original count
end was tied with the opposition. A
few minutes later three additional
votes were added. AS the call was
continued. however. members switch
ed ard the final count took the enact
ing clause from the bill.
Harvey of Clark started the fight on
the bill when he moved to strike out
the enacting clause. The measure was
never considered section by section.
around the Harvey motion was sta ged
the battle which settled the fate of
the measure which proposed to give
u the employers equal representation
with the employees on the state labor
board Telegrams and petitions were
read by members whose labor con-
stituents had asked them to oppose the
bill
Foster of Ness and Finney of Sum-
neT asked the house to consider the
merits of the bill and not Miss Bre-
settle. But the appeal seemingly fell on
deaf cars. Judge Martin answered the
apneals for Miss Bresette and her job
With blistering indictment of alleged
dOmipation of the labor department.
No Sweat Shops i'm Kansas.
THE day this bill was introduced
frank d kilograms were sent from the
state house to all sections of the state
Martin charged, These kilograms
were sent in an effort to array the en-
plores AGAINST the employers. This
t2l< about sweat shops in Kansas is
tommv-rot. This fight on the bill is
inspired by maudlin emotion and SEN
timcnt
Il want to say that there is an at
tempt TO dominate the department of
: IL bor in this state and that the per-
sors who are trying to do it are hiding
behind the petticoats of woman
TITS woman has literally run poor old
rlcu Mcbride for two years and you
know it
Amos Defends Labor.
win the gentleman from Reno tell what
brought this lobby here:" asked Amos of
- suspect they are nersons Interested in
their own business retorted Martin.
And if You don't listen TO some sense
Hpd reason now. you will hear something
in KnusaS in the next two years that YOU
Il want to answer the ATTEMPT of Judge
ticus." replied Amos He has charged
the labor interests with disloyalty and
that if it hadn't been for the Ioyalty Of
the tabor interests of this country we
would never have won the war in Is
P,,9er of Montgomery. also took a shot
''The gentleman from Reno saws if Won
don't pass this bill YOU will hear some
thing" sail Piper, II want to say that
If Won do pass this bill You will hear n
Pirer's thr 1t didn't scare Geddes of
it;tler. in the least. Neither was he over
come by the charges of Mrs. Grnstcad
that the working girls of the state were
f'iiE hI'Iith ~ NFII lutlT Souls ne
r:.uSc employers would not pay a Just
ard living wage.
When Il storm destroyed hundreds OF
thousands Of dollars worth of oil prop.
crty in my county, said Geddes the
country using its every effort to gel
every possible barrel of oil But labor
extracted $50 n day for rebuilding those
rigs What is more | am disguSted Will
the attempt to inject Miss Bresette into
THIS argument or to say that the labOrel
is more honest than his employer
Gilman. who introduced the bin. close,
the argument in support of his measure
He pointed ont provisions which he sale
saferuardPd the objections of opponent,
of the bill He denied that the hin wa,
introduced in effort to get Mis-,
Tresette He urged that the employees
should simply he given n fair. SOilar
chance with the cmpIOye and should hav,
equal representation on the state board
Action Of the house in striking the en-
acting clause from the bill diSposeS q
the uroposed change in the labor depart
nent organization far ms legislation a
this session is concerned.
Might Lease School Lands
Bills introduced in the house today b,
the gas and oil committee provide fo
the leasing of school lands for the drill
ing uf oil and gas wells. Provisions ar
mIde for LEASES by school boards of rtIra
school lands. while the state board of ad
miniStration is authorized to lease stat
lands for mineral development simi
lar provision applies TO tine state sthou
fund commission which is authorized T.
lease uusold school lands or beds of navic
able streams