Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1933-02-16
Uur Jopernment
How ItOperates
BY William Brackarf
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

IN 1918, congress passed law Great |
lug the Department OF Labor. that few
of those who were most voelferous In |
support of the proposal had any con-
ceptIon of what the new department
OF the government was TO do. Are.
view of the debates of the time In
dicates rather clearly that somebody
wanted TO do something for labor, but
they did not know exactly what thai
something should be.
So am prepared to say that Ii WIS
the administrative officers who have
filled the several posts from secretary
of labor down the line OF rank who
have made the Department of Labor
something of value. Some of those OBJ
servers who watched proceedings when
congress enacted the law tells me
that the movement had every appear
ance of sop to organized labor. and
If. their conclusion be true. 1t certainly
can be suid now that the legislators
abnilded much better than they knew.
The law which those legislators
passed said the Department of Labor
was to promote the interests OF labor
of the working people OF the country.
that their working conditions might
be improved and that their opportunI.
ties might be advanced. While
still entertain some doubt concerning
what congress thought this would
mean. Ii has become quite evident that
1t Is possible for the great intangible
thing, called government. to act In
very personal capacity when occasions
require. It has so acted through the
. Department of Labor.
Here Is an Illustration:
In great textile mill of New Eng
land, the workers clamored for better
conditions they wanted shorter work
Ing hours they wanted assurance that
they would not be dismissed without
notice, they wanted certain agree
ments with the owners as to the rates
Of pay. and they sought an agreement
with their employers to reach these
Understandings through committee
OF their own numbers. The employ
ers turned Il deaf ear to the proposals
and would not even discuss them.
strike was the alternative which the
workers offered.
One might say that was private
matter and that the government had
no right to mix Into 1t. But the Con
stitutlon's preamble says that the gov:
eminent Is, among other things FOR
the people" Surely. here was An In
stance where something could be done
for the people, for workers and EN-
| ployers alike.
The Department Of Labor did mix
Into the controversy 1t sent several
men to the scene. They listened to
the grievances of the workers and
to the statements 1of the employers.
They suggested ways out. one after
another. until they were able to get
a committee from the workers and
committee from the owners to Sit
| In the same room. Eventually. these
secret discussions. always with a con
ciliator from. the Department Of La
Dor participating. developed COM
| promise on which each side had yield.
| ed certain concessions.
The terms are not material here.
but suffice 1t to say there was no
strike In that mill and there prob
ably never will be one for the reason
that each side learned something about
fairness and the rights of the other
1 fellow.
That controversy was simple COM
/ pared with some that arise and with
which the department has to deal In
! order to do what Its officials regard
rs their public duty that there may
be peace In commerce and industry.
1t shows, nevertheless. how the null
tiple eye of the government Is upon
us all.
And In connection with this last ref
erence, one must recall that In this
same department there II what has
come to be known as the children's
bureau. 1t goes beyond the working
man in Its course OF duty. The vel
fare of children of all classes come
within Its surveillance, and through
| out the country one now finds Juvenile
courts, orphanages and other lnstitu-
tions having to do with children who
are receiving constant advice from the
! burpau fn Washington, Be It ~isttehes
Industry, too. thar there may be no un-
due dangers developed that conditions
conducive to disease may not be con.
tinued and that every aid within the
power of the national government Il
extended to correct them.
Another phase Of the departments
! work gives ii control Of the entry into
, the United States of foreigners. Our
immigration law Is perhaps the most
stringent In the world. because II Is
our policy to conserve our racial stand
ards. The melting pot Is receiving
! no more foreign blood In quantity. The
department watches this closely, and
J II sees to 1t that those who are adj
, mitted either become American eitl
} zens. swear allegiance to oug flag ant
adopt our traditions, or else they gt
: back home. And this Job Of American
Izing foreigners is one which obvlousl,
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