The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-05-04
Labor Department
meApprovedby
Representatives
Change From "Depurtment
Of industrial Relations"
Asked By Labor
(By Ohio Labor News Seryice)

Columbus, O.-The 93rd General
Assembly last week gave first recog-
milton to the legislative program Of
the Ohio State Federation of Labor
when the House of Representatives
approved bill changing the name of
the Department of Industrial Relations
to the Department of Labor
The bill was introduced by Repre-
sentative Albert F. Stokes, Lancaster,
at the request of Secretary-T Treasurer
Thomas ]. Donnelly of the Ohio State
Federation of Labor. 1t was approved
in the House by a vote of 1OS to l.,
Representative sLhn J. Buckley, Jr.,
CD Youngstown, casting the lone dis
senting vote.
Representative Stokes, in his pres
entation Of the bill to the House,
pointed out that its provisions were
contained in platform pledges Of both
parties, and that it was neither rip
per" or clipper" legislation.
Good natured bantering entered in
to the short debate, when Representa-
tive George Harter, (D), Akron, urged
unanimous support of the bill, as it
was "the first opportunity any Of us
have had to establish labor record" :"
Reverend l.. H. Myers, (R), Lima,
chairman Of the House Labor Commit
tee, rose to the occasion by stating
that "at least no subcommittee was
necessary on this BILL"
Majority Floor Leader J. Harry
McGregor, Coshocton, urged passage
of the bill as "a platform pledge of
both parties, and platform pledges are
not to be used only to get in office,
but something to live up to to stay in
office in Ohio"
Other legislation of interest to la
Dor acted upon by the House of Repre-
sentatives last week included:
Establishing 54-hour week for
guards at Mansfield Reformatory and
London prison farm, and increasing
salaries from a $3.50 monthly mini
mum to $3.50 and the maximum from
$3.50 to $170. The bill equalizes the
hour and pay rates of those two in
stitutions with that in effect at Ohio
Penitentiary.
Approval of Senate Bill authoriz-
ing municipalities to assess fire fight
ers two per cent of their salaries for
relief and pension funds, and broaden
ing the taxing authority for that pur-
pose.
ln Of
three bills Of interest to labor were
introduced in the Senate last week.
Senator Horace S. Keifer, Spring
field, introduced Senate Bill No. 297,
providing for inclusion in the work
mems compensation law Of all occupa
tional diseases, defined as "a disease
peculiar to a particular Industrial pro-
cess, trade or occupation and to which
an employe is not ordinarily subjected
or exposed outside of or away from
his employment"
The bill was introduced as an cmer-
gency measure, and was drafted by
attorneys Of the joint negotiating
committee Of employers and repre-
sentatives Of the Ohio State Fedora
ton Of Labor II was Immediately re-
ferred to the Senate Commerce and
Labor Committee for study.
Inclusion Of all occupational diseases
in the workmen's compensation law
is made possible by a recent decision
of the Ohio Supreme Court, which held
that employees could institute personal
damage suits against employers for
of occupational diseases
not specifically covered by the work
mems compensation law.
The bill provides for an appeal to a
medical board of review of decisions
made by the Industrial Commission III
disease claims. The board