The wageworker., 1910-01-22

dollars in one year from one pre-
ventable disease alone?
You men of labor are organized as
perhaps no other forces of society are
organized. In demanding, demand the
essentials. Do not waste your forces,
your money and your genius fighting
non-essentials. Move for the great
things in life which shall prove an in
heritance worth while to those who
come after you. They say the path
of the reformer is hard and his task a
thankless one; it may be, though GER
tainly the satisfaction of doing what
seems to better the lot of his brothers
who are in his keeping, is enough to
make one forget the rough road and
the thanklesS task. AS unlonlstS you
are banded together to resist impOsi-
tion and injustice; step out as union
lists, and ally yourselves with those or
ganizations working toward the COM
mon goood Pull with the consumers
league, demand inspection of food and
boycott dirty shops. Push inspection
of dairy cows lest tuberculous milk
infect your child. In legislating for
the enlargement of the employers liza
bility law, convince the employer that
well ventilated shop has cash value
10 HILL IL Has, DIS IuC OiucI COAllAuAl.
ties have proved statistically. Fight
the dust peril. The greatest loss of
life from tuberculosis is among the
dusty trades where sedentary habits
prevail. Some of the railroads are
overcoming the unhealthy effect of
dusty travel by allowing farmers to
SOW alfalfa along the right of way.
even to the edge of the track; but
this is only one detail of the great
reclamation plan to be worked out!
Demand factory inspection, and refuse
to work in unlighted. ill-ventilated and
unsanitary shops. Enforce the child
labor law. Promote play grounds.
Surely you need not be told that we
are coming to organized. supervised
play in municipal Fairgrounds as the
very best means of conserving and
protecting the health of our youth. and
hence raising the standard of our ma
tional health. Demand medical inspec-
ton in schools and demand that it
shall be properly-frequently per-
formed. Establish sanitary drinking
fountains and sanitary methods of
heating and cleaning in public places.
Demand and support local dispensaries
for the treatment of incipient tuber-
culosis (the cost of maintenance is
smalD. as well as state and municipal
hospitals for INDECENT and incurable
cases. for it is in these that the great
est menace lies. Demand that politics
shall in no wise affect these demands
you make; politics and red tape have
no place in tuberculosis prevention
Remember that the same precautions
which prevent this disease also pre-
vent a score of others, and help as
we'll to make for right living. And
remember also that unless you help to
prevent preventable diseases YOU will
soon be listed as a backnumber. for
all the world is now going hand in
hand on this new mission.
Move for civic cleanliness, embrace
ing pure water supply exemption
from weed, mud and garbage nuisance,
as we'll as the establishment of parks
and Fairgrounds; your city can be
made as clean and inviting as your
home, and by so doing you elevate it's
health standard and boom it in the
best way. Let your supervision eX-
tend to your printshops, and cigar fac
tories, for it is in these two trades
that the greatest mortality from tu-
berculosis comes See that these
quiet workers have sanitary surround
ngs, protection from cold, and at the
same time unlimited fresh air TO
breathe and light to work by. Tuber-
culosis is an occupational disease and
goes where it is bidden by those neg
lecting naures simple laws. Labor
has it's great part to play in prevcn-
ton, for labor pays a heavy toll in
lives sacrificed. The fact that rest,