The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-02-17
OurGoverumeut
How 1t Operates
BY William Brnckarf
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

THERE Is every evidence that when,
L in 1913, congress passed law Great
ing the Department of Labor, that few
Of those who were most vociferous in
support of the proposal had any con-
ception of what the new department
of the government was to do. A re-
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 that
something should be.
So l am prepared to say that it was
the administrative officers who have
filed 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, it certainly
can be said now that the legislators
builded 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 l
still entertain some doubt concerning
what congress thought this would
mean, it has become quite evident that
1t is possible for the great intangible
thing, called government, to act in a
very personal capacity when occasions
require. 1t has so acted through the
Department Of Labor.
Here is an illustration:
In a 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 a committee
Of their own numbers. The employ
ers turned deaf ear to the proposals
and would not even discuss them. A
strike was the alternative which the
workers offered.
One might say that was a private
no right to mix into it. But the Con-
stitution'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 of the employers.
They suggested ways out, one after
another, until they were able to get
a committee from the workers and
q committee from the owners to sit
in the same room. Eventually, these
secret discussions, always with con-
ciliator from the Department Of La
Dor participating, developed a COM
promise on which each side had yield
ed certain concessions.
The terms are not material here,
but suffice it 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
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
as 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 Is what has
come to be known as the children's
bureau. 1t goes beyond the working
man in its course Of duty. The well
fare Of children Of all classes come
within it's surveillance, and through
out the country one now finds juvenile
courts, orphanages and other institu-
lions having to do with children who
are receiving constant advice from the
bureau in Washington, DC. 1t watches
industry, too, that there may be no I'M
due dangers developed, that conditions
conducive to disease may not be con-
tinued and that every aid within the
power of the national government Is
extended to correct them.
Another phase of the departments
work gives it control Of the entry into
the United States of foreigners. Our
law is perhaps the most
stringent in the world, because 1t 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
1t sees to 1t that those who are adj
mitted either become American citi-
gems, swear allegiance to our flag and
adopt our traditions, or else they go
back home. And this job of American
izing foreigners Is one which obviously
must strengthen our nation in order
that it may live In the future.
G, 1892. Western Newspaper Union.