The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-09-03

and the disorganized and defenseless
condition of the employees on the
other. .---.. 10. 81, ::
Independent steel companies have
been proportionately successful fin
ancially, and proportionately OPP
pressive in their attitude toward
their employees.
The steel industry has made more
millionaires than any other industry
in this country, a nd the conditions
among its employees are of the worst
in existence. -~> a.r
The recent struggle at McKees
Rocks disclosed the, most shocking
conditions of work and life among
the steel car workers; and the Pitts
burg survey has revealed similar
conditions to be general in the IN
dustry, followed by an investigation
into the conditions of the workers at
Bethlehem, which showed the same
result.
1t has been shown that practically
the only men in the steel industry
who are we'll paid are the petty gang
bosses, who drive the far more nu-
merous workers under them to work
twelve hours per day and seven days
per week for a beggarly pittance. !
And in the hour of their dire dis
tress-when human endurance has
reached it's limit-these oppressed
workers turn to unions for relief.
1t is the unions that take the lead
ing part in every movement to check
the aggressions of greed in the at
Of onio sto1 y
labor below the existence point--it
is the unions that endeavor to anne
liorate and elevate their conditions of
labor and life-it is the unions that
are the great vital force in the con-
servation of humanity.
We hear much about the reckless
extravaganza Of the nation in it's
waste of coal and other necessities of
Industry and of life, but compare
lively little of the waste of human
life itself.
Our government itself, in it's eff
cient and expensive bureau of animal
industry, concerns itself deeply with
the living conditions and diseases of
horses, cows sheep and hogs, but
leaves the existence of mankind to
the INSCRIPTIONS greed of employ
ers tempered by the opposition of
| unions and sympathizers with union
| effort
| Senator Owen Of Oklahoma intro
duced bill in congress to establish
| a bureau of national health, but it
was not passed, though it was sup
ported by many influential men out
! side the ranks Of labor unions.
The committee of one hundred of
the American Association for the Ad-
Vancement of National Health is a
body Of influential men who are
deeply interested in the conservation
| of humanity.
If they follow their Investigations
to the root of the evils which have
attracted their attention and enlisted
| their support they will find that
| health in its relations to the vast
| army of toilers is closely related to
| wages and conditions of labor, and
| to consequent enforced standards of
| living
Poverty is a most prominent cause
| of disease.
immortality, which with it's attend
ant diseases is among the rich, the
cn of idleness, among the poor is
caused very largely by poverty.
! The union movement should wei.
come-nay, more. should seek-the
cooperation of all persons who may
be interested in conserving and pro.
noting the general health of the
! people. and should direct the atten-
| ton Of all such to the important fact
that while they are fighting effects
the unions are fighting causes-that
we are going to the root of the evil
and that while we shall be glad
to cooperate with them we also de-
sire them to cooperate with US in
our broader effort in promoting the
conservation of humanity.