The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-27
Governor Allen Favors Division
of Industrial Court.
Present Work Is Too Heavy fer
One Commission.
GO TO LEGISLATURE WITH PLAN
Restore Old Public Utilities
Power for Public Service.
Court Has No Time to Study
Industrial Matters.

Governor Allen will ask the new
legislature to divorce the industrial
court and the public utilities commits
sion. He will propose two separate
bodies to handle the work of the pres
ent court of industrial relations and
will recommend substitution of work
from the labor department ana in
ydustrial welfare commission to give
the labor court full time work and re-
sponsibility.
Under the plan which the governor
will propose he will ask that the old
public utilities commission be restored.
1t will consider only matters pertain
Ing to public service corporations, the
fixing of rates, fares and charges to
the public. The court OF Industrial re-
lations would be retained as a sepa-
rate body. It would be given addi-
tional work from the welfare and labor
departments.
Too Much Public Service.
Ninety-five per cent of the time of
the present court has been occupied
with public service corporation affairs,
the governor asserts. lie believes an
equal proportion of the courts appro-
priation has been used in the same
manner.
When the Industrial court law was
enacted during the special session In
January of this year, Governor Allen
urged that the public utilities commits
sion and the new Industrial court be
merged. The legislature followed this
recommendation. Many members as
serted they would not support a bill
to create new commission or board.
But there was almost unanimous sup
port of the industrial court measure
as presented by the governor and w.
L. Higgins. present presiding Judge of
the court and author OF the bill.
Work Is Too Heavy.
Now the legislature will be asked to
rearrange its work of the special ses-
sion and to divorce the court and the
commission. The work OF the court
is now too heavy, the governor de-
clares. He believes relief could be Of
fered by the separation and creation
of a second body.
'It was hoped that the Industrial
court would be able to do an extensive
work in studying conditions in indus
trial districts so as TO meet the evils
before they crystalize into discomfort"
said Governor Allen. THE court has
had both the spirit and ability to do
this but has not been able to carry out
this program because there has been
enough public utility demand upon it
to occupy its entire time.
Some fifteen decisions which the
court of industrial relations has made
in industrial matters have indicated
the wisdom and usefulness of the court.
These decisions constitute a valuable
body of law which is of inestimable
value to the future, but IL the court is
to go on accomplishing its full possi-
bilities under this law. it will need TO
be divorced from the public utility
work.
Need for More Time.
TN addition to the need for more
time, which is manifest, there is n
grave injustice in making the court of
industrial relations bear all of the criti-
cism which is directed really at public
utilities decisions. 1t is necessary, of
course, for public utilities to receive
increases when the condition Justifies
but most public utility increases which
are made arouse public discomfort and
this discomfort has. Of course been
dramatized because It could be direc-
ted at the new court OF industrial re-
lations.