Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-09-04
L A B o r
lContinned from PC p

centrate their energies upon the single issue OF feduc
ton in the hours of labor
Organizers. who served without compensation for
years. aided in placing the American trade union move
ment on firm basis.
Legislation was sought and not year has passed but
some remedial laws have been enacted. The first great
victory was the exclusion of the Chinese While the law
was enacted in 1882 many years later before 1t was
so changed that the American people were fully protected
from that sort of immigration
Then came the federal eght-hOur law and the sea-
mems act which freed the last slaves In the United States
Many people do not know that the trade union move
ment was the earliest advocate of compulsory education
At the same time it demanded that children should not be
permitted to work for wages but should be sent to school
and given every opportunity for recreation The years
have elapsed since then but the struggle To educate the
masses and to bring freedom from ganfu occupations to
the children has actively continued While two laws enact
ed by congress prohibited children at tender age from
working at ganful occupations they were declared uncoh-
stitutional Now have proposed amendment TO the
constitution which if adopted will confer upon congress
authority to pass statutory legislation making child life
free. Bitter and malignant opposition is being made to
this worthy cause But the American Federation of Labor
will continue the fight until it has made it possible for
congress to protect the nations children from Industrial
exploitation
The Saturday half holiday and the forty -four hour
week are the results of trade union agitation.
The union label placed articles produced by union
men and women proof that they made under SAM
tay conditions at wages that permit the wage eaners to
live in reasonable comfort When you buy union labeled
articles YOU benefit your fellow union
The American Federation of Labor and its affiliated
organizations have not only brought greater happiness
in the lives of the wage but in the nations hour of
danger pledged the loyalty of its members to the gov
eminent of the United States And that pledge kept
The American Federation of Labor is at loss what
to do in any great crisis. And this was exemplfed Il
thousand-fold in its attitude during the great war.
Among the other victories and activities which
can deny Labor are Workmens compensation laws the
restriction of immigration preventing the importation OF
labor under contract collective bargaining elimination OF
tho t-cho Of nth
crusade against the white plague by insisting upon SAM
tay workshops condemnation of the sale of narcotics and
refusal to accept reductions in wages during industrial
depression.
After years of agitation Labor finally prevailed upon
congress to enact law that Labor is not commodity
article of commerce." That same law provides for jury
trials in contempt This most remarkable adj
in the restriction of the assumed power of judge
and the supreme court recently declared it constitutional
1t also declared compulsory arbitration unconstitutional
in either federal or state legislation.