The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-03-25

account of the hutS they live in
amid unlsanitary surroundings and
are not built suitable for proper
ventilation and health.
1t is the laboring people, both sex
that work in the sweat shop and
IN the tenement factory of the
large cities and labor before the
frey furnaces of the great steel
mills where mans vitality is taxed
t" the utmost. thus making him
an easy victim for Tuberculosis.
Organized labor in many localities
has been struggling against
this dreadful disease. At the
recent convention of the A. f. of
Il. held at Denver, Colorado, plans
were formed to combat this disease,
resolution was adopted to
interest the employer of labor at
each factory in an effort to care for
his own workmen and that both
The employer and employee alike
DO all in their power in a crusade
against Tuberculosis. | repeat
organized labor has from its in
ception endcavored to deal prac-
tically with this problem, no
single agency has done more to
combat or rctard the progress of
this terrible disease than has
organized labor. 1t is they who
have always insisted on sanitary
shops for the working men and
sanitary homes for their families.
1t is the trades unionists who have
continually protested against the
sweat shops and tenement factory
labor and they have at all times
lnSiStc, on Il standard of living
that wonld provide their families
with sufficient food, and proper
home surroundings and education
for their children, that they may
be fitted to take their places and
lntclligently assume the response
blllticS of the future citizens of this
great republic. And | want to
take advantage of this occasion to
emphasize that in this campaign
now conducted against Tubcrcu-
loSlS and -enliSting all classes of
people who have Il concern for all
humane welfare that there is no
more powerful factor than organ
I
agree that Tuberculosis has struck
its most deadly blow at the working
class. My firm opinion is that
/ human greed and the living of
life for the love of money is TO Il
great degree responsible for the
fast spreading Of tuberculosis in
| this country. over European
countries. hope Nou will not take
this to mean that organized labor
Is antagonlstic to capital, no far
from 1T, organized labor would
close no opportunity, darkcn no
star of hope, it simply stands for
nobility of people preparation of
health and human welfare. Now
ladies and gentlemen It we mean
business if we are sincere in fight
ing this dreadful white plague,
we must begin work at once, we
must not De prOcraStiuatOrS, we
must be doerS, a doer is Il man of
today. we must not put of, until
tomorrow, there never was. nor
never will be. such thug as
tomorrow, the poor people who are
suffering from Tuberculosis have
no means by which they can live,
except work, they must be cured
and in order to effect cure they
must stop work, and their families
cared for. So we must at once
begin to work on basis that is
practical, such a basis as ad-
vocatcd by the men OF sorrow over
1900 years ago, the principles that
have stood ever since the dawn of
end, such as uplifting humanity.
educating the child, giving Il help
ing hand in time of sickness and
( performing the last sad rite as the
great master of work stops the
swinging of lite'S pendulum.
/ We must all become interested
in this work, which is better than