The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-01-25
TUBERCULOSIS EVIL.
FEDERATION or LABOR PLANS TO
CHECK THE DISEASE.

10 educate llS s9N1AnNAH ~ - n 997
try ia the danger of tuberculosis ana
point out to them the most effective
methods to cheek the rayages 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 pamphlets
are being printed under the seal OF fne
federation and sent to the unions
throughout the country. The pamphlets
contain number Of simple rules pre-
pared by the New York committee On
the prevention Of tuberculosis.
The campaign which has been under
taken by the American Federation o.
Labor Is the direct result Of the action
taken at the annual convention held ~
Plttsbnrg last November. Paul Ken
neday, representing the New York COM
mittee OH tuberculosis, attended the
convention and stirred up the labor
men Oh the subject. A committee was
appointed to consider a plan 70 prlng
/ the subject to the attention OF the
workers Of the country. Ia its report
/ the committee said:
SIT. is d matter Of very direct ana
/ personal concern to every member Of
the laboring class, and its effect on the
4 sick and death benefits is such that It
has an important bearing ON the imam
cial welfare Of many unions"
Continuing its report, the committee
said. lit is a fact that the problem
Of tuberculosis as such is problem Of
prevention rather than OF cure 10
stamp out this scMrge, to make II inn
possible that men shall be permitted to
work under q nditions 80 menaeing 70
life that they invite tuberculosis and at
wages 50 low that standard OF life
cannot be sustained sufficient TO resist
tuberculosis. this is the great work thar
il worth while for the American Fed
GRAFTON OF Labor rather than the cure
, az a few individual cases. Hospitals
and sanitarinms for the cure OF tuper-
culosis are praiseworthy institutions,
hut we should leave the operation ana
maintenance OF them to others, our
work Is TO cut of the supply OF pa
/ tients and to make hospitals ana sani-
q fariums unnecessary
c James Duncan. erst vice president or
!, the American Federation OF Labor, sup
!, plementod the report OF the committee
!. on tuberculosis with the following,
which was adopted as part OF the re-
: port:
a III order TO aid in reducing the horrors
OF tuberculosis 20 minimum this conven-
. ttnn strongly recommends discussion and
! fprtherance OF the following subjects:
Continued agitation for a shorter work
4 dav to a maximum or eight hours.
Il Increased demand for a higher mlni'
Il mum of pay for labor performed.
le Encouragement Of outdoor exercise
4 Formation OF fresh air clubs
n recommendation or temperate habits
! including diminution OF the use Of In
y Release from work at least one fun das
y IN seven.
Is Fairgrounds for children adjacent to al
ii public schools. -
u spcrscd In all cities
I, Total elimination OF the sweat shop sys
TEN.
Rigid inspection OF mines, mills, fac
p tories and workshops.
p A Saturday half holiday, At least durini
ed the summer months.
n. incorporation Ia trade agreements or y
81 collective bargains governing working cor
: ditlons OF provisions for suitable ventila
4 ton and sanitation
ne That wherever possible, the suburba
'r- residence idea be strongly favored, eou
is pied with a demand for one-half rates q
Isl steam and trolley lines during the usua
to nd At
ds work
~ Further agitation for better rooms an
~ fresh air ventilation in all living apart
ments.
rigid anti-child labor laws in states wher
they do not now exist
"a That the rules suggested by Dunca
- have an important bearing on the sui
- iect is demonstrated by study of tn
80 vital statistics kept by the Cigarmai
ers' international union.
NJ The cigarmakers established an eigf
~, hour day in May, 1856, which has bee
go maintained in union shops since.
hu 1888 their system Of benefits was e.
AN tended. and since that date vital ST
as tistics have been carefully compile
and kept on file in the international 0
hip fee. In 1888 the death rate from pu
me monary diseases was 81 per cent Of Il
to total. Two years later, in 1890. Il
len death rate had been decreased TO 40 p
us cent. In 1895 1t was 80 per cent, and
ute 1900 IL was further reduced to 80 p
BE. cent. The figures for the five yea
to which ended Dec. 81, 1905, will sho
nth that the number of cigarmakers wi
or die OF pulmonary diseases is about
per cent.
The last census Of the United Stat
places cigarmakers second on the i
~ in the number OF deaths resulting fro
wy pulmonary diseases. IT shows that
" per cent or deaths In the cigar indust
s'u are from this cause. In the same We
the death rate in the organized factou
was but 80 per cent, and Preside
George W. Perkins Of the Cigarmake
.,' International union attributes this
- the shorter workday and better 81
,.@t tary conditions which the unions
70 force.
M Although the government statist
~ place the workers In the cigar indusi
10y as the second highest in the list of thS
who die of tuberculosis, the union r
ords show that the death rate In
! union shops is now lower than in sol
y occupations where the employment
% largely outdoors.
" whether the deduction made by Pr
ident Perkins is correct or not, that
y longevity just noted Is the result Of