Salt Lake Tribune | 1918-01-24 | Page 3 | Labor Standards Board Dissolved

LABOR STANDARDS BOARD DISSOLVED Secretary Baker Says Duties Can Be Done by Quartermaster's Quar-termaster's Office. WASHINGTON. Jan. 23. Dissolution of the board of control for labor standards, created to keep army clothing contracts away from plants employing sweatshop methods, was announced today by Secretary Secre-tary Baker, with the explanation that the primary purpose of the board had been accomplished and hereafter Its duties could be performed by the quartermaster general's office. Some of the activities of the board, of which Mrs. Florence Kelly and Louis Kirstein were the civilian members, have been the subject of controversy in the congressional war inquiries because certain cer-tain firms failed to get contracts. The board's rulings have stood, however, and its dissolution is said fo be only a part of the department's general policy tc bring the work heretofore done by civilian advisers directly under the military establishment. es-tablishment. , Secretary Baker issued the following statement: The board of control for labor standards in army clothing was established es-tablished bv the secretary of war on August 24, 191", as a result of a preliminary pre-liminary investigation which indicated that army clothing was being manufactured manu-factured in some cases under conditions condi-tions which were not in accord with standards which should be maintained main-tained on all work done for the government. gov-ernment. Through the action of the board these conditions have been brought under control. After conferring with General Goetbals it lias been decided that the primary purpose for which tho board was created has been finally accomplished; that the work is now so organized that the remaining activities ac-tivities are administrative in character charac-ter and can best be done under the direct control and supervision of the quartermaster general. The board lias therefore this day been dissolved and the formal contract, approved by me on October 31. 1917. for the manufacture manu-facture of army clothing will be modified modi-fied accordingly. The contract referred to contained a clause requiring adherence by the contractor con-tractor 10 a standard of labor conditions In his plant which had been approved by tile board of control.