New-York tribune., 1909-03-09
CAUSES OF ORPHANAGE
This Country Remiss in Safeguard
ing WOrkmcn."

n her 1ect-5re on The Extent and Causes Of
51rphsnage" at the Colony Club yesterday morning
Mrs. Florence Kelley told her audience that the
United States was behind England behind Ger
rnsrv behind almost every civilized country in the
world in laws 70 safeguard workmen. by whose
needless deaths IN mine explosions, factory acci-
dents aud poisonous trades 50 many orphans are
made.
We, disgracef.lly among the nations. make no
effort ia protect the fathers" sne said, no effort
TO place the responsibility where If belongs Last
winter seventy-sx orphans were made by explosions
in g single mine in West Nirginia-by two eA-
plosions occurring within two weeks IN that one
mine To-day received a circular telling Of the
formation Of the Lick Branch Mine Relief Com
7rittee. headed by the Governor-elect Of West vi
ginia, and asking the help OF the Tnbhc 'o"ai"
providing for the future Of these orphalis- 1'7
mine owners have supported the widows and or
,,hans since the explosions in February, but now.
beyond giving 5000 the relief COMPANY theF
frankly say they can do no more. These children
ere to be made paupers-for they are paupeTlzeo
p-her the public is asked TO support them
There could be more shrieking example OF our
methods Of the reasons why more people are IN
cured ty mining accidents in the United STATES
than any other country. Had these EXPLOSIONS
occurred in Germany, the law would compel the
support Of those orphans by the industry IN the
service Of which their fathers were killed II
man in Germany loses his life IN the milling IN
dus1ry the milling industry must provide Tor MS
wife and children. Naturally. in Germany manu-
burden of 50 many widows and orphans TO care for
srn1v every means known 70 science for the safe
guarding Of work1nen That is Thy there are com
parstf7-elv 50 few mining accidents in Germany
Thez- lc.ok with horror there upon our record
IN England the great woTkmens compensation
act rhe have psssed obliges employers. in self-de-
fence - insure their employees For instance, IN
New York one two window cleaners are killed
every week The widows and orphans are letr 10
get on as they Tnay. IN England YOU must insure
-iv5o s-fe for 90 he IS
killed YOU Vin have support his widow and chill
oren To insure him. however. costs but tr1he-
q penny or TWO week
The United States Russia and 4 Few cantons IN
Switzerland. among all the governments Of the
world are IN the position Of forcing workman
70 use damaged OF imperfect machine at his
ozn risk Not long ago. in cur greatest manu-
featuring state, young girl working in q laundry
observed that her machine was out Of order. She
notified the superintendent. who told her It would
be fixed st the noon hour She went back to her
work Before TIE noon hour she had lost Z hand
The in which her father brought suit refused
her damages. deciding that she had used the ma
chine al her risk.
But now what is 8 workman 10 do7 II you
leave your machine in working hours you lose
your job II is a choice. in such a case between
losing your work or riskng your life"
New York Ctr. Mrs. Kelley said vas simply
producing orphans by the wholesale by forcing
Industries into the homes Of the poor" She told
q Jewish boy Of fourteen years who spent
his tine outside Of school hours in making cga-
-ettes in his dark tenement home AT the table
working with him. his brother. aged four years
and his tuberculous mother At intervals the
mother would stop and cough, violently and pro-
rniscuousy, into the Of the children and
the table which the cigarette papers were
spread
-Four thousand tenement houses are licensed for
manufacture fn the City Of New York The Board
of Health sees that there is infectious disease
IN the house the time the license is issued. But
the Board Of Health cannot go about making sure
that there is tuberculosis in these four thousand
houses
Mrs Kelley said there knowledge as 10
the extent Of oTphanage IN this country While IN
Germany. Australia and other countries there are
systems which enable the governments 10 keep
track OF all dependent children. the United States
thus far has done nothing in that direction. This
IS a bald confession Of ignorance" she said.