New-York tribune., 1907-12-13
SWE4TSHOP LABOR.
Brooklyn Smallpox Cases Mag Be
from THIS Source, Sqys Mrs. Kelley.

.e71,ree little children of one OF the refined and
wealthy families Of Brooklyn have been taken ~
the pesthouse with smallpox, said MIS-. fiorehCe
KELLEY secretary OF the National Consumers
League Their mother has gone with them 10 ule
Kingston Avenue Hospital for Contagious diseases.
,Tb. husband and father-Edward S. Bromer OF
No Se5 Park PIace-goes each day to catch a
rlimpse of his wife at the pesthouse window ana
then returns to his empty home. HOW oio nhe
children of such q family contract smallpox: Inc
public prints declare that the parents nave no
idea where they caught the awful dsease-thas
they have never been exposed to IT. 1t Is strahSe
and awful mystery, 'dispensaton of Providence
This sort Of 'dspensation of Providence VIII 90
right OF as long manufacturing in tenement
houses Is permitted l have personally seen 1000
and clothing the process of manufacture In
in which there were persons i'll of tuhercu-
losis scarlet fever, measles. smallpox. chfckenpox,
Ophthalmia and typhoid fever. Goods manu-
featured III these rooms go out into the stores
Then hear Of strange and mysterious dispensa-
tions of Providence
"A young assistant of mine last winter found
nuts being picked from their shells by
whose hand diseased from tuberculosis Of the
bones. These nuts being packed in fine
glossy glass tars for high class trade health
foods'-one Of the ironies of the subject. Such
goods would go into only high class stores Poor
people do not buy shelled nuts in fine glass jars.
The individual consumer is in a most helpless posi-
ton. He may command shining cleanliness in the
store where he trades, but he knows nothing at all
of what is back of that 1 have a $50
coat, order TO of the most fashionable Gus
tom tailor shops fin the city. being worked on by
tuberculous woman in dark dirty slum room,
where it had been sent by the contractor who took
it away from the fine custom shop. The idea that
fine expensive goods are free from these dangers
is fallacy. They find their way foul, infected
rooms just often cheap goods Raisins are
stoned in such rooms for high priced cakes. Cam
dies are wrapped there for the Christmas trade.
We have found macaroni being mixed in room
where child sick of dipftheria. We found
a filthy. witchlike old licking the corners of
weddinS cake. '-'~-'
''The federal government now protects US against
foreign made goods-and also against Chicago.
But there is nothing to protect against goods
made in our tenement houses.
For years we have been blaming the wicked
contractor for sending goods into slum bedrooms
and hospitals. The contractor was the sweater.
He had no friends. And pursued the unclcan
and tuberculous people who finished the pants
and licked the cigarettes in the tenement houses
They had no friends here. For my part am
now going stop prosecuting the sweater and
the sweaters victim and turn my attention TO the
owner of the goods. He is the strongest and most
powerful party Of the three. He is the that
has fine plate glass front shop in Fifth avenue
a big factory elsewhere. Let US compel him to
put his tag every piece Of goods that goes out
of his possession and let US punish him If find
his tag in any place where 1t ought not to be-.
After while. IL we pass that law and enforce It,
win have more and more Of his work done on
his premises. where he can comply with the
law and avoid fines, and the sweatshop work
and the sweaters dens will be reduced more and
more
Mrs Kelley has in charge a bin which the New
York Consumers League will have introduced in
the Rev York Legislature this winter ana which
the league members believe Will finally fix re-
sponsbility the owner of the goods
IL provides that any person, firm corporation
engaged In manufacture shall provide storerooms
and workrooms for his goods and materials free
from any infection contagion whatever, and
specifically from the diseases named above. The
owner of the goods is to be only responsible for
their surroundings on his own premises, but where
! ever they may be taken in the process OF manu-
facture. He shall also be responsible for the air
space light cleanliness. ventilation and sanitation
of any into which his goods shall be taken
| up to the point prescribed by existing laws for
factories. He shall be responsible for preventing
| the use of any TO which mis- gods taken
/ asa sleeping by day night; shall it
contain any bed, sofa, couch. mattress pillow, or
| any other furnishing used by persons sleeping.
This law, practically the same, has been
on the books OF New York for several years
| Manufacturers have always evaded 1t by showing
| that il not themselves but the contractor who
took goods away the factory that took these
goods filthy and infected tenement The
| present bill has ingeniously contriyed clause,
4 which specifically defines the contractor the
, agent of the manufacturer, and says that all ex-
posure OF such goods to germs OF contagious or
infectious disease while IN the custody the
/ tractor, shall be presumed to be with the knowl-
I edge and approval of such owner.
/ only when one has seen person propped up
in bed, making cigarettes. biting OF the ends lick
ing down the flaps. losing the tobacco and paper s
in the bed and having to search for them. does
one realize that place used for dying in should
not be used for the preparation of things used
/ by the living" said Mrs. Kelley.