LABOR BUREAUS. Nearly every State in the Union has a labor bureau, or department of labor, the oldest being that of Massachu setts, organized in 1869. Several of the State bureaus, particularly those of New York and Connecticut, maintain free employment agencies. These State bureaus have been kept remarkably free from partisan politics, and they have been decidedly successful in the settling of labor disputes and in preventing strikes and lockouts. The chief functions delegated to be performed by the State bureaus are assistance in bettering the condition of toilers, investigating complaints of ill-treatment, grievances, etc., to furnish in formation as a basis for enlightened legisla tion, to keep a record of the labor supply and labor condition in the State and to inform the general public of the results of its work. In some States the administration of the labor laws was committed to the bureaus, as also ad ministering employment offices, compensation laws, etc. These organizations proved so suc
cessful that European nations soon followed the American example. In 1891 France organ ized a bureau of labor and in 1892 Germany followed with a labor commission. In 1893 a labor department under the direction of a com mission for labor was instituted in England. Aus tria, Italy, Sweden, New Zealand, New South Wales, and Canada have since established similar bureaus. Consult Wright, The Work ings of the Department of Labor,' and The Value and Influence of Labor Statistics,' in on Social Economics' (Washing ton 1901) ; Year Book' (annual) ; American Labor Legislation Review (1911; I, No. 2, 123-134; No. 3, 59-68; No. 4, 61-104).