purpose of which was to ascertain the cost to employers of insurance covering industrial accidents under the various systems of employers' liability and workmen's compensation at present in operation in various foreign countries. The premium rates charged, usually in the form of percentages of the pay roll, were secured for a large list of industries for Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United States. Bulletin 91 contained "Working hours of wage-earning women in selected industries in Chicago;" "Labor laws declared unconstitutional;" "Old age and invalidity pension laws of Germany, France, and Australia;"Review of labor legislation of 1910;" and "Laws of various States relating to labor enacted since January 1, 1910.” The article on working hours of wage-earning women in selected industries in Chicago was the result of an investigation of conditions in 57 establishments in seven industries in that city. The industries chosen were typical industries largely employing women and girls. The study was designed to bring out the hours of labor and earnings during normal periods of business and during rush periods. The second article is a summary of the decisions of the courts relative to laws and ordinances affecting labor which have been found not to conform to the constitutional tests which, under the form of government in this country, all legislation must meet. In all but a very few instances the decisions discussed are those of the courts of last resort of the States in which the laws are enacted, or the Supreme Court of the United States. The fourth article classifies under various heads labor laws passed by the various States and the United States in 1910. Among the subjects treated are employers' liability, action for personal injuries, accidents, negligence of employees, inspection of factories, protection of employees, mine regulations, railroads and street railways, regulation of the contract of employment, blacklisting and interference with employment, arbitration of labor disputes, civil rights of employees, examination and licensing of workmen, employment offices, employment on public works, employment of women and children, labor organizations, wages, hours of labor, and Sunday labor. This Bulletin contains also a reproduction of the text of the oldage and invalidity pension laws of Germany, France, and Australia and of the laws of the various States relating to labor enacted since January 1, 1910. Bulletin 92 contained "Industrial accidents and loss of earning power: German experience in 1897 and 1907," and "Workmen's compensation and insurance laws and bills of 1911." The first article is a summary of the results of a special study of the industrial accidents compensated in the two years, 1897 and 1907, under the National Accident Insurance System for Workmen in Germany. This is a study made by the Imperial Insurance Office in Germany at 10-year intervals, in order to ascertain the lines along which measures for the prevention of industrial accidents and for medical treatment of injured workmen may best be directed. The second article, relating to workmen's compensation and insurance legislation of 1911 in various States, is an attempt to present in a summary and comparative form the features of the laws and bills which have been presented to the legislatures of the various States during the year 1911. Bulletin 93 contained "Wholesale prices, 1890 to 1910." This article brings down to the end of the year 1910 the results of the investigation of wholesale prices, the publication of which was begun in the Bulletin of March, 1902, and has been continued in the corresponding Bulletin of each subsequent year. The article covers 257 series of quotations, representing the principal staple commodities. Actual and relative monthly prices are shown for each commodity during 1910, and for some commodities weekly prices are quoted. Yearly actual and relative prices are shown for the years 1890 to 1910, inclusive. This Bulletin contained also a rather full summary of a recent report of the British Board of Trade on cost of living in the principal industrial towns in the United States, an article making comparisons of the results of the five reports of the British Board of Trade on cost of living in England and Wales, Germany, France, Belgium, and the United States, and a summary of an important report on hours of labor of men, women, and children employed in factories in Austria. Bulletin 94 reproduced the Fourth Report of the Commissioner of Labor on Hawaii. As this report was originally printed as a Senate document, without provision for general distribution, it was reproduced as Bulletin 94 in order that the many calls for information in regard to industrial and commercial conditions in Hawaii might be readily available. REPORTS TRANSMITTED AND IN COURSE OF PREPARATION. In addition to the reports issued during the fiscal year, the following had been transmitted and at the close of the year were in the hands of the printer: Report on Condition of Woman and Child Wage Earners in the United States.-Volume IX of this report, entitled "History of women in industry in the United States," is a historical study of the development of the industrial employment of women in the United States from the early decades of the nineteenth century down to and including the census of 1900. The study is designed to bring together in a single volume the available official and nonofficial material which is most significant as bearing upon the position of women in industry. Volume X, entitled "History of women in trade unions," is a study of the nature and extent of the activities of women in trade unions from the early part of the nineteenth century up to the present time. The report is in two parts, one dealing with the period from the beginning of organization in 1825 up to and including the activities of the Knights of Labor, and a second covering the history of women in trade unions from the organization of the American Federation of Labor. "The employment of women in the metal trades," which is the subject of Volume XI, is the result of a study of the conditions of woman's work in a large number of miscellaneous metal-manufacturing establishments. The most important feature of the report is its detailed study of the accident hazard of men and women engaged upon similar work. Volume XII, devoted to the "Employment of women in laundries" is the result of a study of laundries and laundry workers in Chicago, New York, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia. The report deals with the conditions of the workrooms, the character of the work by occupations, the hours of labor, and the eTect of the work of the various occupations upon the health of the woman workers. The "Relation between occupation and criminality of women," which is the subject of Volume XV, is the result of an attempt to ascertain how far the wage-earning employment of women may be accountable for cases of criminality. The study is based upon records of penal institutions, with the addition of probation records where adult probation prevails, supplemented by interviews with superintendents, matrons, prison doctors, probation officers, prison visitors, and the prisoners themselves. Volume XVI, entitled "Family budgets of typical cotton-mill workers," is a study of the prevailing standards of living among such families in Fall River, Mass., and in various southern cottonmill communities. The report deals with the actual income of typical families week by week through a year, and the items of food, clothing, rent, and other expenditures in detail. Of the foregoing, Volumes IX, X, XI, and XII have been issued between the end of the fiscal year (June 30) and this date. Four other volumes relating to various special aspects of the employment of women and children will soon be ready for the printer. Twenty-fifth Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor. This report, relating to Industrial Education in the United States, was transmitted just before the close of the fiscal year, but has since been completed and distributed. This report is the result of an investigation the purpose of which was to secure detailed information concerning the organization, courses of instruction, methods, etc., of the schools that seek to furnish training for the skilled and unskilled trades and occupations. Report on Conditions of Employment in the Iron and Steel Industry.— A large part of the force of the Bureau has been engaged throughout almost the entire year upon an investigation of the iron and steel industry, in compliance with a resolution of the Senate. Two volumes of the report of the investigation, which are devoted to wages, hours of labor, and days worked, were transmitted to the Senate during July, 1911, and are now in press. These volumes cover conditions in practically every important plant in the industry in the United States. Other volumes which are in preparation will relate to conditions of work and to accidents and accident prevention. Miscellaneous. An investigation is in progress in regard to retail prices of food and in regard to wages in the principal industries in the United States, the results to be presented as the Twentysixth Annual Report of the Bureau. The information will cover the period 1890 to the end of 1911, in continuation of the previous studies of the Bureau on wages and prices. Work is also going on in preparation of a comprehensive study of the labor laws of all the principal industrial countries. Other lines of special investigation now being carried on will be continued through the coming year, and the results will be published from time to time in the Bulletin. One of these involves a series of special studies relating to the employment of women and girls, while another is a study of industrial diseases as related to various employments and industries, and still another will cover in a comprehensive way the subject of collective agreements and conciliation and arbitration in this and other countries. GOVERNMENT WORKINGMEN'S COMPENSATION ACT. For the 12 months ended June 30, 1911, the number of claims received under the act of May 30, 1908, which grants to certain employees of the United States the right to receive compensation for injuries sustained in the course of their employment, was 2,895; there were, besides these, 16 cases pending July 1, 1910. Of the 2,911 cases thus under consideration, 136 were based on the death of the injured workman, and of these 106, or 77.9 per cent, were approved as entitled to compensation under the law, while 28, or 20.6 per cent, were found not so entitled, and 2, or 1.5 per cent, remained pending at the close of the fiscal year. The number of claims based on nonfatal injuries was 2,775, and of these 2,611, or 94.1 per cent, were found to come within the provisions of the law; 152 cases, or 5.5 per cent, were not found to be entitled to compensation, and 12 cases, or 0.4 per cent, remained undecided. Reporting of accidents causing disability for one day or longer or resulting in immediate death is requested for all classes of employees of the Government, without reference to the application of the compensation act. The total number of accidents reported, including those for which compensation might be granted, as well as those not covered by the act, was 5,201. None of the totals given above includes cases of injury to employees of the Isthmian Canal Commission causing disability of less than 15 days' duration. On account of an amendment to the law taking effect March 3, 1911, there are also excluded from the data given all accidents, both fatal and nonfatal, which have occurred since that date to employees of the Isthmian Canal Commission, regardless of the duration of the disability caused. The subject of amendments to the law received some attention in Congress, several being proposed, of which but one was adopted. This was the amendment above referred to relating to employees of the Isthmian Canal Commission, and by it the entire administration of the law, in so far as it affects such employees, is in the hands of that body, instead of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, since March 3, 1911. The period for filing claims for compensation on account of death, which was found to be difficult of observance on account of the number of persons having nonresident dependents, was extended to one year instead of being restricted to 90 days, as heretofore. The law was also made applicable to all employees under the Isthmian Canal Commission when injured in the course of their employment, instead of only to those engaged in "hazardous employment." Reports of accidents occurring on the Zone, whether subject to compensation under this act or not, will be made by the Commission as heretofore, so that the entire operation of the law will be known. CHAS. P. NEILL, Respectfully, To Hon. CHARLES NAGEL, Secretary of Commerce and Labor. Commissioner. |