The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-01-27
TUBERCULOSIS IS
4 GROW|NG EVIL
Federation of Labor Plans to
Check This Dread
Disease.
Workers to Be Educated in the
Higher Methods of
Prevention.


try to the danger Of tuberculosis and
point out to them the most effective
methods to check the ravages OF the
disease the American Federation Of
Labor has started an extensive cam
paign. says Luke Grant in Chicago
Record Herald.
Hundreds Of thousands Of PAM
phlets are being printed under the seal
of the federation and sent to the unions
throughout the country. The pamph-
lets contain a number Of simple rules
prepared by the New York committee
on the prevention of tuberculosis.
The campaign which has been under
taken by the American Federation Of
Labor is the direct result Of the action
taken at the annual convention held
in Pittsburg last November. Paul Ken
neday, representing the New York
committee on tuberculosis, attended the
convention and stirred up the labor
men on the subject. A committee was
appointed to consider plan to bring
the subject to the attention Of the
workers Of the country. In its report
the committee said:
1T is a matter of very direct and
personal concern to every member Of
the laboring class. and it's effect on the
sick and death benefits is such that
1t has an important bearing on the
financial welfare of many unions"
Continuing it's report, the committee
said: 1T is a fact that the problem
Of tuberculosis as such Is a problem
of prevention rather than Of cure. To
stamp out this scourge, to make it i'm
possible that all men shall be permitted
to work under conditions 80 menacing
to life that they invite tuberculosis and
at wages so low that a standard Of life
cannot be sustained sufficient to re-
sist tuberculosis, this is the great work
that is worth while for the American
Federation Of Labor rather than the
cure of few Individual cases. Hos
p,tais and sanitar' ums for the cure
of tuberculosis are prais ,worthy In
stjtutions, but we should leave the
operation and maintenance of them 70
others. Our work is to cut off the,
supply of patients and to make hos
r'its!s and sanitariums unn.'.essary.'
James Duncan, first vice president Of
ths. Anc1jcan Federatious OF Labcss en4-
2.ennnttd the report Of the committee
ON tuberculosis with the following,
port:
In order to aid in reducing the hor-
rors of tuberculosis to a minimum
this convention strongly recommends
the discussion and furtherance Of the
following subjects:
Continued agitation for shorter
workday to a maximum Of eight hours.
Increased demand for higher min
nimum of pay for labor performed.
Encouragement Of outdoor exercise.
Formation of fresh air clubs.
Recommendation Of temperate habits
including a diminution of the use Of
intoxicants.
Release from work at least one fall
day from seven.
Fairgrounds for children adjacent to
all public schools.
Large, open "breathing spaces in
terspersed in all cities.
Total elimination of the sweat shop
system.
Rigid inspection of mines, mills fac
tories and workshops.
A Saturday half holiday, at least
during the summer months.
Incorporation in trade agreements
or in collective bargains governing
working conditions of provisions for
suitable ventilation and sanitation.
That, wherever possible, the subur-
ban residence idea being strongly fav-
ored, coupled with demand for one
half rates on steam and trolley lines
during the usual hours OF going to
and returning from, work.
Further agitations for better rooms
and fresh air ventilation In all living
apartments.
A positive demand for the passage OF
rigid anti-child labor laws in states
whore they DO not now exist.
That tho rules suggested by Dun
can have an important bearing on
the subject is demonstrated by a study
Of the vital statistics kept by the Cigar
makers International union.
The Cigarmakers established an eight
hour day in May 1886, which has been
maintained in union shops since. In
1888 their system of benefits was ex-
tended and since that date vital stat
istics have been carefully compiled and
kept on file in the International office.
In 1888 the death rate from pulmonary
diseases was 81 per cent of the total.
Two years later, in 1890, the death
rate had been decreased to 40 per cent.
In 1895 it was IS per cent and in 1900
it was further reduced to 80 per cent
The figures for the five years which
ended December 81, 1906, will show
that the number of cigarmakers who
die Of pulmonary diseases Is about -,
per cent
The last census Of the United States
places Cigarmakers second on the list
In the number Of deaths resulting
from pulmonary diseases. IL shows
that 62 per cent Of deaths in the cigar
industry are from this cause. In the
same year the death rate in the organ
ized factories was but 33 per cent. and
President George w. Perkins of the
Cigarmakers' International union at-
tributes this to the shorter workdav
and better sanitary conditions which
the unions enforce.
Although the government statistics
place the workers in the cigar tndus-
try as tho second highest in the list
Of those who die Eof tuberculosis, the
union records show that the death rate