The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-22
INDUSTRIAL BILL
TO LEGISLATURE
FOR FINAL ACTION
Conference Report to House and
e Senate This Morning.
Tribunal Takes Over Powers
and AbOlishes p. U. C.
SIMPSON CLAUSE is REMOVED
Profit Control for FOodstuffs
Before SOIOns Separately.
New claw" Greatest Precedent
in American Industry.
Tribunal Takes Over Powers
and AbOlishes P. U. C.
SIMPSON CLAUSE IS REMOVED
Profit Control for FOOdstuffS
Before SOIOns Separately.
PROVISIONS INDUSTRIAL COURT
ACT.

Creates court with administrative
powers.
Three members at salary of 5000 a
year each.
Production and transportation of cloth
ing. fuel and food stuffs invested with
public interest and placed under court.
Enables state operation in emergencies.
Provisions for punishment of persons
seeking closing of any essential industry
or interference with transportation of ne
cessities.
Penalties for persons fostering strike or
Conspiring to foster strikes in transpor-
tation or essential industries.
Prohibition against sympathy strikes.
Provision for review of all contracts be
tween labor and employers by the new
court
Court of Industrial Relations takes over
work of present public utilities commits
sion and assumes additional tasks vested
by law.
Court will operate as a commission with
administrative powers.
Authority to investigate wages, living
conditions and all complaints.
Investigations may be made by the court
on its own motion or at request of either
party or petition of ten persons.
Guarantee under direct provisions Of the
bill for n fair wage TO labor and reason
nble return to employer on invested cap
ital-
10th felony and misdemeanor provisions
incorporated in bill for punishment of per-
sons violating court order or provisions OF
Individual workers conspiring to strike
subject to fine of $1,000 and one year in
jail.
Officers of any labor organization fos-
tering or advising a strike or inducing a
strike in any plhnt producing essentials
in the transportation of such essentials.
subject to fine Of 5000 and two years in
the penitentiary.
Direct appeaI to supreme court provided.
Right Of collective bargaining recognized.
Sympathy strikes prohibited
Ban placed on all Interference with con
tlnuity of work in essential industries;
This provision may be sufficiently broad
New court created Immediately upon ap-
pointment of three members by governor.
Public utilities commission automatically
abolished with creation Of new tribunal
Conference reports on the industrial
court bill went to the house and
senate this morning for adoption.
Under the bill as approved by the
conferees, practically all of the essen
tial features of the senate measure are
adopted. The enactment is acceptable
TO Governor Allen and friends of the
bill who fought for it in the two
houses. The house this afternoon
postponed a vote until the bill is en-
crossed. A vote tonight or early to-
morrow morning seemed likely.
As approved by the conference
committee, the new law will give the
new court or commission administra-
tive powers and authority to exercise
its orders as affecting workers in es-
sential industries.
All Industrial disputes are brought
before the court and that body is
given the right to view all contracts
between employees and employers and
to issue orders preventing strikes IN
essential Industries or affecting trans
portation lines. Powers formerly ex-
ercised by the public utilities COM
mission are vested in the new court
and the two bodies consolidated with
additional authority in the commits
sion to review and settle all industrial
disputes affecting the general inter-
ests OF the state.
Principal Allen Demand.
Passage of the industrial court hill
was the principal demand in Governor
Aliens call for a special session of the
legislature. The demand for the new
tFlounaI grew out of recent industrial
unrest in Kansas and in the nation A
call for special session of the legis-
Iature was issued after Governor AL
len had taken over the coal mines
thru recelvership proceedings and
sought to supply the states demand
for fuel thru efforts of volunteer
workers who replaced strikers.
During the three weeks of the spe-
clal session, the labor court bill has
been the one problem of earnest dis
cussion and which held general public
attention. Nation wide interest was
IN the action of the Kansas legislature
and creation of the new court of in.
dustrial relations, puts Kansas in the
front rank in offering a remedy to safe
guard the public from unwarranted
strikes. The bill is aimed directly al
radical agitators and disturbers and
provides penalties for any attempt &c
arouse workers or to bring about q
strike in this state.
AS approved by thesconference com.
mittee, the labor court bill is free
from all of the Objectionable section.
inserted during the long and heated
house debate. The Simpson amend.
ment seeking TO control profits OF
was removed and is now before the
legislature in the form of a separate
bill.
Conferees also removed the Free.
man amendment providing against
closed shops and making illegal the
entering into of any contract between
labor and capital which prescribed
that only union employees should bt
used The Harvey amendment per.
mitting the labor court to review al
contracts between labor and capita
remains in the bill. Members of th(
conference committee also approved
,the McDermott amendment which
which seeks to prohibit sympathy
strikes.
The labor court bill passed bott
houses last Friday and went to con.
ference Tuesday. Conferees for tn,
senate were: Francis c. Price, Ash,