DEPARTMENT OP COMMERCE AND LABOR BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR NO. 8 3 -JULY, 1909 ISSUED EVERY OTHER MONTH WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING * OFFICE 1909 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis CONTENTS. Page. Women’s trade union movement in Great Britain, by Katherine Graves Busbey, A. B.: History of the movement........ ........................................ .............................. 1-5 Obstacles to organization of women................................................................. 5-10 Occupations temporary..................... ...................................................... 6 Low wages and low standard of living.................................................... 6,7 Class distinctions........................................................................................ 8,9 Liability to victimization and apathy...................................................... 9,10 Attitude of male trade unionists to organization of wom en ........................ 11-18 Growth of organization among women workers............................................ 18-22 Results of organization of women workers......................................................22-32 Aid secured through legal proceedings....................................................22,23 Recent legislation.........................................................................................23-25 Crusade against living-in and truck systems............................................. 25-29 Protection against fines and im position .................................................... 29-31 The marriage dowry................................................................................... 31,32 Conciliation and arbitration...................................................................... 32 The Women’s Trade Union League...................................................................32-43 Methods employed by the league............................................................. 32-37 Advantages of representation in the Trade Union Congress................. 37,38 Advantages of affiliation with the General Federation of Trade Unions. 39-43 Relation of women’s trade unions to low wages and the sweating system. 44-50 Conclusions............................................... 50-58 A p p e n d ix .......... .......................................................... 58-65 Cost of living of the working classes in the principal industrial towns of France: Scope of the investigation............................................................... ............. 66,67 Rents of working-class dwellings.......................................................................67-71 France........................................................................................................... 67-69 France and Great Britain compared........ ...............................................70,71 Retail prices....................................................................................................... 71-80 France......................................................................................................... 71-77 Rents and prices combined................................................................. 77 France and Great Britain compared..........................................................77-80 Rates of wages............................... 80-84 France........................................................................................................... 80-83 Relation of rates of wages to rents and prices.................................. 83 France and Great Britain compared........................................................ 84 Hours of labor.................................................................................................... 85 Summary of conclusions...................................................................................85,86 Changes in retail prices and rates of wages between October, 1905, and October, 1907..................................... - ..................-— ................................ 86,87 m Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis IV CONTENTS. Earnings and hours of labor in British textile industries: Page. General summary.................................................................................................88-92 Cotton industry.................................................................................................... 92-95 Woolen and worsted industry............................................................................ 95-97 Linen industry........................ „......................................................................... 98,99 Jute industry...................................................................................................... 99 Silk industry..................................................................................................100,101 Hosiery industry...............................................................................................101,102 Lace industry.................................................................................................... 102,103 Digest of recent reports of state bureaus of labor statistics: California—Thirteenth Biennial Report, 1907 and 1908: Hours and wages— Factory inspection—Farm labor—Employment agencies—Labor organi­ zations—Child labor—Chinese and Japanese........................................... 104,105 Colorado—Biennial Report, 1907 and 1908: Coal production—Railroad em­ ployees—Labor organizations—Free employment bureaus....................... 106 Connecticut—Twenty-third Report, 1907 and 1908: New factory construc­ tion—Effects of the industrial depression—Free public employment bureaus—Child labor conference—Strikes and lockouts—Employer’s liability—Tenement houses.........................................................................106-108 Indiana— Twelfth Biennial Report of the Bureau of Statistics, 1907 and 1908: Labor organizations—Electric railroads...........................................108,109 Sixth Biennial Report of the Indiana Labor Commission, 1907 and 1908........................................................................................................... 109 Iowa—Thirteenth Biennial Report, 1906 and 1907: Graded wages and salaries—New industries—Trade unions—Wage-earners—Railroad em­ ployees—Employers’ statistical report—Canning industry................... 109-111 Montana—Tenth Report, 1905 and 1906: Labor—Industries................... I l l , 112 Digest of recent foreign statistical publications: Belgium : Reports on home workers in Belgium: Furniture industry at Maiines, the making of embroidery and women’s apparel, and rope making. 113 Report as to wages and hours of labor in the metal-working in­ dustry.................................................................................................... 113-120 Germany: Report on unemployment in Berlin and 27 suburbs on November 17,1908.................................................................................................. 120-124 Report on unem ploym ent in H alle on the Saale on January 10,1909. 124-127 Report of the experience of the city of Magdeburg and of various European governments in connection with the problem of unem­ ployment.............................................................................................. 128-136 Great Britain: Report of the chief inspector of factories and workshops for the year 1908......................... 137-141 Report of the chief inspector of factories on the administration of the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901, by local authorities in respect of workshops, outwork, etc., in 1907................................... 142,143 Italy: Report on the question of employment on Sundays and holidays.. 143 Decisions of courts affecting labor: Decisions under statute law.......................................................................... 144-163 Assignments of wages—rights of assignees—priority of wage claims over claims of mortgagees—construction of statute ( Union Trust Co. v. Southern Sawmills and Lumber C o .).............................................. 144-147 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis CONTENTS. V Decisions of courts affecting labor—Concluded. pa«e- Decisions under statute law—Concluded. Contract of employment—intent to defraud—constitutionality of stat­ ute—imprisonment for debt (Bailey v. State)..................................147,148 Employers’ liability—employment of children in violation of statute— contributory negligence—course of employment (Strafford v. Repub­ lic Iron and Steel C o,)..........................................................................149,150 Employers’ liability—railroad companies—construction of statute— assumption of risk—acts in emergencies ( Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chi­ cago and St, Louis Railway Co, v, Bossert)............... ........................ 150-153 Employers’ liability—safe place to work—questions for jury—assump­ tion of risk—construction of statute—contributory negligence— course of employment ( Harvey v, Texas and Pacific Railway Co,). 153-157 Labor organizations—strikes—injunctions— conspiracy—interference with employment—secondary boycott—reciprocal rights of employ­ ers and employees (Iron Holders’ Union v. Allis-Chalmers Co,) . 157-163 Decisions