The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-12-31
PRELIMINARY
REPORT OF INDUSTRIAL
CODE Commission
MANY REQUESTS FOR FINDINGS
AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF
COMMISSION PROMPTS PUB
LEGATION OF REPORT.

mas been receiving many requests for
the findings and recommendation
that this commission intends to make
to the state Legislature. Although
this Commission, in the short time at
ITS disposal. has not fully covered the
scope OF the important work assigned
to it, the members have arrived at
some conclusions and will pre- sen.
them, together with recommends
tons and proposed law at the COM
ing session Of the legislature. Ir cr-
der that the public and those interest
ed in the problems of industrial re-
lations may have full opportunity to
consider, discuss and criticise these
recommendations we are making
brief preliminary public report of
the findings, and digest of the i'm
portant features of the proposed law
a detailed final report and cones of
the proposed bill will be printed and
circulated later.
The Industrial Code Commission
was created by the autho,it ity of Chap
1874, Laws of 1919. It's duties were to
investigate the problems oi industrial
relations and to propose a law with a
view to avoid industrial disputes.
FC1 ikes, lockouts, etc. The Com,n.s-
slon was year late in getting start
eh on account {. reslgnat rs Of a.
pt lnted members and test of tonsti-
t'tionality in the courts, but once flu
| organized the membe s of the
Commission conscientio s'v stud,c.i
- d investigated the prar em$ from
"a angles. The Commission has
s'udied carefully the effort of other
'mmssions, the laws Of all the
states and nations and thoi, results.
! ssa1dition it has had 1ne us pub
lie and private confere lce5 with on
ganized labor, employers and other
citizens in all parts of the State.
Based on the information at hand the
commission has so far unanimously
come to the following uonclusions:
l. That the present stat labor
agencies and commissions 'e,'irg
with labor and industrial problems
should be consolidated ami that there
should be more coordination ard less
duplication in their work.
2. That all such labor agencies IN
this state should function under one
department.
3. That this department should be
removed from politics as far as pos
sible and should consist of men who
are fair minded and sincerely inter-
ested in this work.
4. That there should be state ma
chinery or agencies to deal solely
with industrial relations.
5. That anti-strike laws or COM
pulsory arbitration is not the ulti-
mate solution of industrial disputes.
g. That industrial courts with
mandatory powers, such as the Kan
sas Court of Industrial Relations i.
still in the experimental stage and
that it would be more profitable for
this state to study and observe thi.
experiment rather than to adopt such
principles at this time.
T. That the announcement and
furnishing of facilities bv the state
for announcement of local industrial
councils, adjustment boards, etc.
within the industries and in the local
communities will secure more indus
trial peace than the extension of gov
ernmental security over them.
8. That the energy of the DEPART
ment, if created should be directed
toward preventing industrial dis
putes and the adjustment of thes DIFF
ferences before they reach the strike
and lockout stage.
9. That in cases Of disnutes in
volving public utilities and industries
affecting public interest it should be
mandatory upon such department to
investigate impartiallv and make pub
lie reports promptly.
10. That the legislature should
enact law during us h'PSPhf session
embracing the foregoing recommen-
dations.
Tn order to carry out these recon-
mendations and conclusions we have
endeavored to incornorate them into a
proposed law and create machinery
to put them into effect in this state.
CONSOLIDATION.
All the parties seem TO have unani-
mouslv recommended that the pres-
ent agencies he consolidated in order
TO secure more coordination and less
dunlication of work at the Same tim'
more economy and efficiency. In linz
with these ideas we propose putting
30 Gftoan . ,