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individual bargain. The work of the higher-paid unions may be handed over, little by little, to the lower paid. The higher standard may be nominally maintained, but its field of application is gradually narrowed; and, taking the employment as a whole, there is an insidious and unacknowledged lowering of the STANDARD RATE." Jurisdictional disputes concerning the allegiance of workers in a particular trade or occupation usually occur between a CRAFT UNION on the one hand and an INDUSTRIAL UNION on the other as for example, in the struggle between the national teamsters' organization and the United Brewery Workers for "jurisdiction" over teamsters employed by the breweries. Conflicts in connection with the claim of exclusive control over a certain geographical area (usually known as territorial or geographical jurisdiction) may be exemplified by the long contest between the Western Federation of Miners and the United Mine Workers for control over the western mining districts. Jurisdictional disputes of all three types have been alleviated to some extent by the organization of local unions into national unions; by the AMALGAMATION of rival national unions into a single national body; and by the AFFILIATION of local unions with TRADE COUNCILS and of national unions with a strong national federation. But as yet no permanently successful solution of the problem has been discovered. (See OVERLAP; DEMARCATION; RIGHT TO THE TRADE; VESTED INTERESTS DOCTRINE; SECTIONALISM; DUAL UNION; ENCROACHMENT; LABEL JURISDICTION; JURISDICTIONAL AGREEMENT.)

Jurisdiction Members. See MEMBERS At Large.

Jurisdictional Agreement. A formal understanding between two or more trade unions in regard to the specific authority of each over certain kinds of work, certain workers, or certain geographical A jurisdictional agreement marks the settlement of a conflict Over JURISDICTION between the unions which are parties to the agreement.

Jurisdictional Disputes. See JURISDICTION; OVERLAP.

K

Kamers van Arbeid. Dutch chambers of labor or INDUSTRIAL COUNCILS, consisting of equi-partisan bodies of employers and employees representing their respective interests within a trade or locality. They are under the supervision of, and report to, the national department of labor. These councils concern themselves with questions of wages and hours and other conditions of employment, make recommendations to the authorities respecting legislation, and adjust industrial disputes.

Kamgar Hitwardhak Sabha (Workingmen's Welfare Association). See INDIA, LABOR ORGANIZATION IN.

Kansas Industrial Court. Under a law passed early in 1920, the state legislature of Kansas has set up a "Court of Industrial Relations," with compulsory powers of supervision and ARBITRATION in a number of industries declared to be affected "with a public interest." The Court is composed of three judges, appointed by the Governor. Ordinary rules of evidence govern its procedure, and the decisions arrived at are fully mandatory. Those industries over which the Court exercises jurisdiction are specified as follows: "(1) The manufacture or preparation of food products whereby, in any stage of the process, substances are being converted, either partially or wholly, from their natural state to a condition to be used as food for human beings; (2) the manufacture of clothing and all manner of wearing apparel in common use by the people of this state whereby, in any stage of the process, natural products are being converted, either partially or wholly, from their natural state to a condition to be used as such clothing and wearing apparel; (3) the mining or production of any substance or material in common use as fuel for domestic, manufacturing, or transportation purposes; (4) the transportation of all food products and articles or substances entering into wearing apparel, or fuel as aforesaid, from the place where produced to the place of manufacture or consumption; (5) all public utilities." Strikes in these industries are permanently forbidden; any dispute arising between employers and workmen must be referred to the

Court for investigation and decision; and the Court has power to order "such changes, if any, as are necessary to be made in and about the conduct of said industry, employment, utility or common carrier, in the matters of working and living conditions, hours of labor, rules and practices, and a reasonable MINIMUM WAGE, or standard of wages." Violations of the orders of the Court or the provisions of the act creating it are considered misdemeanors; while any person intentionally influencing another to violate such orders or provisions is considered guilty of a felony. In either case heavy punishments by fine or imprisonment or both are provided. The act provides that "all incidental powers necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this act are hereby expressly granted to and conferred upon said Court of Industrial Relations." Needless to say, the act has aroused the bitter hostility of organized labor within and without the state of Kansas, as destroying the right of COLLECTIVE BARGAINING and creating what labor regards as a condition of INVOLUNTARY SERVITUDE. (See COMPULSORY ARBITRATION.)

Katheder Sozialister. See SOCIALISTS OF THE CHAIR.

Keating-Owen Bill. A Congressional enactment of 1916, prohibiting the transportation in interstate commerce of the products of factories in which children under fourteen years of age had been employed, or in which children between fourteen and sixteen had worked more than eight hours a day or six days a week or at night. The same prohibition was applied to the products of mines employing children under sixteen. The United States Supreme Court, in June, 1918, declared this act unconstitutional, as an unwarranted extension of the Federal power to regulate interstate commerce. As a result, Congress shifted the basis of its interference to the taxing power, and embodied provisions in the Revenue Act of 1919 levying a special tax of ten per cent on the net profits of employers of CHILD LABOR under certain conditions. (See CHILD LABOR TAX.)

Kindred Craft Union. See CRAFT UNION.

Knights of Labor. A national organization of labor in the United States founded in 1869, under the leadership of Uriah S. Stevens. In 1871 the title of "Noble Order of the Knights of Labor" was adopted by the society. Membership was at first limited to tailors. Soon, however, those in other trades were admitted as associate members, and were later permitted to organize separate branches or "assemblies" in their respective trades. With the formation of these new branches the parent body was designated "Assem

bly No. 1," and the assemblies later organized were numbered serially. The need of some central or uniting authority led to the establishment of a "Committee on the Good of the Order," consisting of three members from each assembly. In 1873 this temporary committee was superseded by a delegate body known as the District Assembly. As the local assemblies increased, other district assemblies were organized. The parent assembly, of which Stevens was the "Master Workman," together with several of the earlier branches, constituted "District Assembly No. 1," with Stevens at its head. The subsequent increase of district assemblies led to the establishment in 1878 of a national "General Assembly," made up of delegates from seven states and representative of fifteen trades. Stevens was placed at the head of this national body, with the title of "Grand Master Workman." Conventions were held annually thereafter. In 1886 the membership of the Order had risen to 700,000, but soon thereafter it began to decline in competition with the new AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR, until today but little remains of the organization. The society was not organized on the autonomous trade union or CRAFT UNION basis, but admitted all workers-skilled and unskilled, men and women, white and black-without distinctions of trade or craft. Until 1881 it was conducted as a secret order, with an elaborate veil of ritual, sign, grip, and password, designed to keep out spies. Its affairs were controlled by a highly centralized authority. It took a large part in politics, and in cooperative production and consumption. (See TRADE UNION COOPERATION.)

Knights of St. Crispin. A secret organization of shoemakers (1867-1873) which was at one time the most powerful labor body in the United States, having some 40,000 members.

Knobstick. See BLACKLEG.

Knox Strike. See ONE-MAN STRIKE.

Krankenkassen. See MUTUAL AID SOCIETIES.

Kustars or Kustarniki. In Russia, persons engaged in HOME WORK are so called. A considerable portion of the Russian peasantry are of this class. They are regarded by the Soviet government as small proprietors, and are subject to State control in various ways. (See COTTAGE INDUSTRY.)

Kyocho Kai (Harmonizing Society). At a meeting of prominent Japanese government officials held at Tokyo in January, 1919, it

was decided that a national organization should be formed having as its main object the creation of amicable relations between "capital" and "labor," and capable of carrying out the following duties: (1) The education of labor, to be effected by means of the publication of newspapers and magazines, the arrangement of lectures, etc., with the object of raising the intellectual standard; (2) the investigation of labor conditions and the study of labor questions at home and abroad likely to contribute toward the solution of the labor problem; (3) the management of a Central Employment Bureau, and the encouragement of activities of employment bureaus in the various districts; (4) the establishment of an internal organization to deal with the settlement of labor disputes; (5) the establishment of branches of the organization in several of the larger cities in the country, to take charge of such questions as the protection and assistance of workers, the education of their children, and the finding of housing accommodations. In accordance with this plan, a fund of six million yen was raised and the new society, called the Kyocho Kai, or "harmonizing society," was definitely launched in December, 1919. Owing to its close alliance with capitalist interests, the society soon fell into disfavor with the working classes. It was reconstructed on a more popular basis toward the end of 1920.

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