The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-31
LABeR'S FIGHT ON CONSUMPTION
BRINGS RESULTS

No movement is at the present time
more deeply stirring the ranks of or
gonized labor Throughout the United
States than the campaign against tu'
be~rculosis. Politics, strikes, boycotts,
and all other issues are being side
tracked to make way for the fifty
which is to save the lives of thousands
of laboring men. Meetings are being
held and movements started IN hun
dreds of cities for the purpose OF stim-
ulating the labor forces to activity In
anti-tuberculosis work.
This uprising against the worst foe
of the workingmen is of such recent
growth that in spite of its present
magnitude and daily development, few
peopIe are aware of its significance
and Importance. Several years ago
some of the larger national and inter-
national unions. notably the printers
and cigar makers, began an antl-tu-
berculosis movement among their
members, which resulted in the estab-
lishment by the printers of a sanatar-
ium in Colorado Springs. Two years
ago Mr.. Paul Kenaday, of New York,
spoke before the American Federation
Of Labor, and stirred many of the 9TH
er union to definite action against tu-
berculosis. This movement ripened
about a yea ago, when in Albany n.
Y, the laboring men got together and
built a pavilion chiefly for the benefit
of their afflicted members. The men,
beers of the Central Federated nnion of
that city, numbering about 5000 each,
nav five cents a month for the main
tenauce of this pavilion. But more
than the pavilion vas the interest
thew aroused in the ranks OF labor
throughout New York state and the
county in general.
The results of the movement have
been the establishment of a labor de-
partment by the States Charities Aid
association and a special lecturer to
the unions, and an effort to enlist the
aid of laboripg men throughout the
state in the campaign against tuber-
c~ulosis. The American Federation OF
Labor, at its recent Denver conven-
ton, adopted resolutions of approval
of the general course followed at AL.
bany, and called upon its affiliated
unions throughout the country to fol-
low this example. Several of the state
declarations of labor have also urged
action against tuberculosis. The In
ternational tuberculosis exhibit, held
in New York City recently, stirred the
workingmen of that city and Brooklyn
TO a realization of danger and respon.
sibility, and they, too recently took de-
fnate action in the warfare against
this disease. From here the move.
ment has spread all over the United
States. until almost every labor union
of any importance and almost every
trade is beginning to discuss tubercu.
losis at its meetings. Hartford, Conn.
Galveston, Tex; Newark, n. j.; st.
Louis, Mo; San Francisco Cal; Tren-
ton, n. j.; Reading, Pa; Bridgeport,
Conn; Boston, Mass; and Philadel-
phia, Pa, are a few Of the cities that
are leading in this effort.
In Connecticut, largely through the
efforts of John F. Gunshannon, q
movement has been organized in Hart
ford, Bridgeport, New Haven and sew
eral other cities, through which the
various employers and employees of the
factories are paying for the treatment
of their fellow consumptives. Mr..
Guushanron's plan Is to care for its
own consumptives. Subscriptions are
taken among the workingmen, and in
almost every case the employer con-
tributes a sum equal to the total con-
tributed by his men. These various
factory units are S o organized into q
central body that the stronger ones
ale able TO help the weaker. The
money raised goes for the support of
needy consumptives workmen in tu-
berculosis sanitoria.
In this way hundreds Of factories in
almost all of the large cities of Con-
neticut have been organized, and a
large number of sick workingmen and
their families are being cared for.
That tuberculosis is particularly IA
tai TO the workingmen may be clear
ly seen from the fact that at least one
third of the deaths during the. chief
working period of life are caused by
pulmonary tuberculosis. Every other
workingman who becomes incapaci-
tated, must ascribe his condition to
consumption. DR.. Lawrence F. Flick
says: "Tuberculosis is peculiarly a
disease of the wage-workers. and this
is so for the very good reason that one
of the causes of the disease is over
work" In some trades, such al the
metal polisher, brass workers, and
stone workers, from IS to so per cent,
of all death are caused by tuberculosis.
Dusty trades are particularly dagger
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