Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-09-14

Labor issues OF profound moment must be met during tht
next four years How Harding would meet them may bt
judged from the following record of his votes:
First the Cummns railroad bill made it criminal Of
Tense for railroad employees to strike On motion to strike
out this section December 49, 1919 Harding did not vote
&C. r. 815) but final passage days later he voted
for the bill containing the antisrke provision &C. r. 972
Moreover he paired in favor of the Cummns bill
as finally passed. February 49, 1920 &C. r. 3521 providing
for compulsory arbitration under conditions to which labor
strongly objects.
Second, since 1898, government employees have had a
minimum workday of hours department heads hav
ing the right to require longer hours if The
called Borand amendment to the agricultural appropriation
act for 1919 proposed to require employees of the Agricultural
Department in the District of Columbia work at least eight
hours Sheppard Of Texas moved to strike out this amend
men and after extended debate in which the successful
working OF the present system clearly explained Hard
ng on March l5 198 voted against the Sheppard resou
tlon &C. r. 354O thus favorng compulsory frightening of
the working day.
Third, July IS, 1916, an amendment to the naval
appropriation bill was Offered granting yard and
nal employees thirty days annual leave without loss of pay
1t sought to throw the amendment on point of
ORDER which overruled by the chairman Harding
OF II Senators who voted against sustaining the chair
&C. r., 11216) This having failed, he voted to kill the
amendment by committing it to the committee naval af
fairs &C. r. 22 He thus opposed on both votes the pro-
posal for thirty days vacation
Fourth, the and navy appropriation bills have for
years carried provisions prohibiting the of stopwatch
e-measurng devices and bonus systems in arsenas and
navy yards Labor ha sobeced these efficiency"
rangements the ground that they designed primarily
labordrving devices The question has
least six times during Hardngs On cache occasion he
has voted to strike out the prohibition &C. r. 64 10273
1863 1874 652, 6907, $685. 66 1647, thus favorng
the installation Of the devices opposed by labor
Fifth matter of great significance and Importance
the proposal for appropriation of S500000 to establish
employment bureau the Department of Labor This
favored by labor and scientific students of labor
questions and opposed chiefly by employing interests
that preferred chaotic employment conditions On Septem-
Der 25 1917 Harding voted against this appropriation &C.
R., 7409).
Sixth September 49, 1918 following the lead of Sena
tor Lodge, Harding voted for minimum wage law for the
District of Columbia &C. r. OS25) but in the last days of
the session of just closed when Senator Kenyon
and other friends of minimum wage law for federal
oyes trying desperately to get action that measure
he of the majority voting dsplace by the bill
raising the pay of postal employees &C. R., 8999 1t is est
mted that $4,000 federal employees still get less than the
hreedoar minimum proposed by the slaughtered measure
Seventh September 7, 1917, Senator Hardwck pro-
posed amendment to the act raising the pay of
soldiers serving abroad by $50 month Harding voted nay
&C. R.. 6740)
Eighth, Harding voted December s. 1879 to amend the
proposed civil service retirement law by requiring employees
contribute from to per cent of their salaries the
eaton of pension fund.- instead of putting the entire cost
IN the government &C. R., 143).
Ninth May ~ 1918 he voted against the conference
eport providing district administrator prevent rent
in the District of Columbia C. R., 7126)
Tenth, somewhat inconsistency with the rest of his
r June 2 1918 he voted against strangng the child
abor bill by referring to the finance committee &C. r.
'341.
The point of view represented by these votes is that of
ordinary small employer who has been untouched by the
movement of labor during the present century and espe
tally since the beginning of the war
Continued Wednesday,
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