The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-06

AAOA1CSAJ WnCn II Is IOuI1Q IN SOI1t6 SRC
cial social stratum. There are dishon
est capitalists, dishonest labor leaders
olsnonest lawyers, and dishonest bust
ness men; dishonest men Of greai
wealth and dishonest poor men; and
the man who is genuine refOrmel
VIII decline to single out any one type
for exclusive denunciation, but will
feariessly attack the dishonest man as
such, whenever and wherever he is tc
be found.
Tribute to Labor Leaders.
For many years have been more OF
less closely associated with representa-
tive leaders of labor unions. Some OF
these men are among my close friends,
whom respect and admire as heartily
as do any men in America. There are
some of them to whom 1 go as freely
for assistance and guidance, for aid
and help, in making up my mind how
to deal with our social problems as ]
go to the leaders of any business or
profession. 1 can not pay too high a
tribute to he worth and integrity of
these men-to their sincerity and good
judgment as leaders. But no move
ment-no observation-disclosures earnest
and honest, can endure unless the rank
| and file live I'D to their duties. and
search for such leadership and support
| it when they find it. If the best men
in a labor union leave its management
and control to men of a poorer type,
1 the effect will be as disastrous as when
| SOOQ cltlZSnS III a CITY IOllOW the same
course as regards city government.
The stay-at-home man in union is
| just as much responsible for the sins
of omission and commission of his or
| ganization as the stay-at-home man in
a city is for the civic conditions under
| which he suffers and about which he
| complains.
All that can properly be done should
be done by all of us to help upward
the standard of living and to improve
the ability of the average man tosreach
the standard. There are still in the
United States great masses of skilled
| and unorganized labor, whose condi-
tons of work and living are harsh and
pitiable. 1t is a shocking indictment
of our industrial condition to be told
in a matter of course way in a gov
eminent report that thousands of
workers in this country are compelled
to toll every day in the week, without
one day of rest, for a wage of $45
month. Such a condition is bad for
them, and, in the end, bad for all of
US. Our commercial development
should be heartily encouraged; but it
must not be allowed to commercialize
our morals.
Mutual Duties.
1t is not merely the duty of the
wage-earner, but is also the duty of
the general public, to see that he has
safe and healthy conditions under
which to carry on his work. No work
er should be compelled. as a condi-
ton of earning his daily bread, to risk
his life and limb, or be deprived of
his health, or have to work under
dangerous and bad surroundings. So
ciety owes to the worker this because
it owes as much to itself. He should
not be compelled to make this mat
ter of contract; he ought not be left
to fight alone for decent conditions in
this respect. His protection in the
Ia xxyI1 he oh =
anteed by the law of the land. In
other words, he should be protected
during his working hours against
greed and careleSSnesS on the part
of INSCRIPTIONS and thoughtless en-
ployers, just as outside of those work
ing hours both he and his employer
are protected in their lives and prop
erty against the murderer and thief.
This opens a vitality important field
of legislation to the national govern
ment and to the state alike. It is
humiliating to think how far We of
this country are behind most of the
other countries in such matters. Prac-
tically all civilized countries have, for
more than a decade, prohibited by the |
strictest regulations the poisonous
match industry; yet we have not done |
anything at all until very recently to |
protect the laborers against this hor-
rible danger. The national govern |
ment made an investigation a year |
ago into this industry, which showed |
q condition of things unspeakably |
shocking and revolving. Legislation |
to prevent these abuses was introduce
ed in congress, which was not passed. !
Since then the companies in fault have |
ostentatiously announced that they |
have done away with the objectional |
conditions. I hope so; but whether |
they have or not, a law should be |
passed in stringent form to prevent |
any possible backsliding.
Injuries to Employees
So it is in the matter of injuries to
employees. In what is called ''em-
ployer's liability legislation other in
dustrial countries have accepted the
principle that the industry must bear
the monetary burden of it's human
sacrifices, and that the employee who
is injured shall have a fixed and de-
finite sum. The United States still
proceeds on an outworn and curiously
improper principle, in accordance
with which it has too often been held
by the courts that the frightful bur-
den of the accident shall be born in
its entirety by the very person least |
number of states-in Wisconsin and
in New York, for instance-these de-
fects in our industrial life are either
being remedied or else being made a
subject of intelligent study with a
view to their remedy.
In New York bill embodying mod
crate compensation for accidents has
been passed. Other states will
follow in the same path.
The federal government has, so far as
its employees are concerned been the
first to recognize and put into shane
this principle. However, this pioneer
law was not made commemorative
enough; it does not cover all the en-
ployees Of the federal government that
ought to come within it's provisions.
and the amount paid for permanent
disability or death is entirely made
Quate. Nevertheless it was a great stem
in advance to have this principle Of
compensation accepted,I
and embodied in the federal statutes.
and the recent action Of congress in
providing for commission to study
and report upon the subject gives