Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-13

The strike of the machinists employed
by the Washington Terminal Company.
which began July 9. is being carried on
successfully. according to Emmett l..
Adams. representing Washingto. and Co
lumbia Lodges in Central Labor Union.
A meeting of the Labor day committee
of Central Labor Union will be held in
Typographical Temple this evening to
complete the program for labor's annual
celebration, which will be held at Ben
ming race track September Z.
The salient provisions of the revised law
governing the employment of women and
children In Italy are as follows:
Persons of either sex under twelve years
may not be admitted to industrial es-
adjustments, workrooms. building opera
lions, outside work of any kind or to
mines and tunnels For admission to la
Dor in mines and tunnels the age must
be thirteen full years when mechanical
traction is employed and full fourteen
years when mechanical traction is not
employed. and females of all ages are
forbidden to labor of this nature Fe-
males of less than twenty-one full years
will not be admitted to dangerous labor
of any kind.
Persons of either sex of from twelve
to fifteen full years may not be employed
in any labor mSre than eleven hours a
day. nor can females of any age be en-
ployed for more than twelve hours a day.
The labor OF women and children must
be interrupted daily by one or several
periods of repose. Children and minor
women may never continue longer than
six hours without interruption. The law
provides that employers shall take such
measures in the workrooms. eating rooms
dormitories etc. as will safeguard the
health and morals of children and fe-
males of any age. Night work is for
hidden for all females and for males of
less than fifteen full years.
In the city of Chicago during the last
year there were 4.24O violent deaths, but
an authority says the records in the
coroner's office are not kept in way
accidents. OF the violent deaths in Chi
cago. 393 were killed on railroads. $50
of whom were employees, and 1S3 by
street car accidents. OF those killed the
coroner's report shows that 33 per cent
were men between the ages of twenty
and forty years engaged in industrial
pursuits. OF the number 1858 were ma
tive Americans. while twenty-four other
countries were represented on the roll OF
death.
During the last year thirty-eight per-
sons in Chicago were killed by being
caught in machinery. One instance last
summer is cited where the inspector for
a liability company called the attention
of a workman to the danger of project
ing set screw in the machine he was oper-
ating. The workman laughed at the idea,
and 10 prove his point held the lapel OF
his jumper against the set screw. BEFORE
the machinery could be stopped the work
man was killed.
I'm view of the tremendous cost of these
fatalities to the childhood and woman
hood of the state, as well as to society,
says an authority, does not the effectual
safeguarding of wheels, the countersunk
set screw, the fencing of shafting and
guarding of elevator shafts become hui
name as we'll as financial question? Ii
it is not true that large per cent OF
these accidents are due TO avoioaole
causes we are paying too dear for our
material progress. Recompense when the
accident occurs makes employers and the
community liable; but we can only hoid
up our heads when We have safeguarded
the lives of the workers In every known
way. appointed commissions to study the
problem, sent experts abroad TO learn
safer methods of work. given prizes to IN
ventors who show how to ward on danger
from worker at machine
In discussing the ideal labor union re-
Gently Chancellor Day Of Syracuse Uni
versity said: There might be union OF
great help to its membership ana 10 pusl-
ness. l believe in labor organizations as
I believe IN corporations. But let IL De
a union upon principles of mutual bene-
fit and helpfulness both to the laborer and
to the manufacturer, both to the working
man and to the contractor
LET 1T be for the purpose of securing
to the employer the greatest proficiency,
insisting upon only skilled mechanics for
mechanics pay. Let it consider the IN
terests of the business and how to serve
them Let it compel its wage, not by eX-
Guiding those who choose to work for less
or to work when the union men Will not
work. but by furnishing the highest type
of
men will say: If you want the most
skilled and reliable mechanic or laborer,
you must get them from the union. They
will have no one in the union but first
class man..
Let the union have clu brooms and dis
cuss thrift and temperance and home
sanitation and ways and means or getting
the home and furnishing it with books
and periodicals for mental improvement,
and spend some Of the time in amuse-
ments and healthy games now spent in
the saloons. Let the energy now being
put into opposition to capital be used In
self-improvement and furnishing higher
class of mechanics
A few weeks ago about 1.500 delegates
representing 2,jU0,O00 members OF CO.
operative organizations through the
United Kingdom, met in annual congress
in Monmouthshire. The cooperative So
cieties Of Great Britain attract little at
tention in other countries, yet these MEM
bers, with their families, include nearly
10000. 900 men. women and children, al
most one-fourth the total population of
England and Ireland Leaders of the
cooperative movement, which is strong
est in the north of England. are working
for the welding together of all co-opera-
tive societies and associations into one
great national cooperative society. This
would mean the naturalization of man
ufacturing. buying and selling among TO-
100000 people.
The sales of these cooperative associa-
tons total nearly $1.OO0.O0O.OO0 a year,
and yield a profit annually of about $780,
100000. This is largely distributed among
the members in dividends. in the provision
of libraries, educational classes, lectures
on social, economic and Industrial subjects
and entertainments of an amusing and
instructive character. Retail societies.
which have a membership of over 2.0OO.-
600, devote 2h per cent of their profits
to the maintenance of educational facili-
ties for their members and their children.
While local cooperative societies, re-
luctant as yet to give up their autonomy,
are not quite at one with the notion OF
naturalization, there is an undercurrent
Of opinion at work toward that gigantic
end.
when soldering becomes as deadly as
switching, international disarmament Will
be at hand.
The foregoing is the statement made
by Miss Anna E. Melodies of Neighbor-