Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-06

"Au 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 TO reach that
standard There are still in the United
States great masses OF skilled and unor-
ganized labor, whose conditions OF work
and living are harsh and pitiable. II is
shocking Indictment OF our industrial con-
dition TO be told In a matter-of-course way
In a government report that thousands OF
workers in this country are compelled to
toll every day in the week, without one
day rest. for a wage OF A5 month. Such
a condition il bad for them, and, in the
end bad for all OF us. Our commercial de-
velopment should be heartily encouraged
but II must not be allowed TO CONNER
cialize our morals.
1T is not merely the duty Of the wage
Garner, but II is also the duty " the
general public, to see that ne has safo
and healthy conditions under which 10
carry on his work. No worker should lie
compelled. as a condition OF earning his
daily bread, to risk his life ana limo, or
be deprived Of his health, or 10 have to
work under dangerous and bad surrOund-
ings. Society owes the worker this be-
cause 1t owes as much to itself Ho
matter of contract; he ought not to BIZ
left 10 fight alone for decent conditions
in this respect. His protection in the
place where he works should be guaran-
teed by the law of the laud. In other
words he should be protected during his
working hours against greed and care
lesness on the part Of INSCRIPTIONS and
thoughtless employers, just a. outside Of
those working hours both he and his en-
ployer are protected in their lives and
property against the murders and thief.
! This opens a vastly important field of
legislation TO the national government
and to the state alike. 1t is humiliatiny
to think how far we of this country are
behind most of the other countries in
such matters. Practically I'LL civilized
countries have. for more than q decade,
prohibited by the strictest regulations
the poisonous match industry yet we had
not done anything at all until very re-
| Gently to protect the laborcrs against
this horrible danger. The national gov
eminent made an investigation year
ago into this industry, whlcn showed n
condition of things unspeaknbIy shock
ing and revolving. Legislation to pre-
vent these abuses was introduced in con-
gress which was not passed. Since
then the companies in fault have osten-
tatiously announced that thev have done
away with the Objectionable conditions,
l hope so; but whether they have or not,
a law should be passed in stringent form
to prevent any possible backsidtng.
Care for Injured Employees.
80 It is in the matter of injuries to en-
Iployes. In what is called employers la
bility' legislation other industrial countries
have accepted the principle that the indus
try hAor
human sacrifices, and that the employe
who is injured shall have a fixed and def
mite sum. The United States still pro-
ceeds on outworn and curiously i'm
proper principle, in accordance with which
1t has too often been held by the courts
that the frightful burden OF the accident
shall be borne in its entirety by the very
person least able to bear it. Fortunately,
In number Of states-in Wisconsin and in
New York, for instance-these defects in
Industrial life are either being remedied or
else are being made a subject of intelli-
gent study with view to their remedy.
In New York a bill embodying moderate
compensation for accidents has already
been passed. Other states will undoubtedly
follow in the same path. The federal gov
eminent has, so far as its own employees
are concerned, been the first to recognize
and put into shape this principle. How
ever, this pioneer law was not made CON-
prehensive enough; 1t does not cover all
the employees of the federal government
that ought to come within its provisions
and the amount paid for permanent dis
ability or death is entirely inadequate
Nevertheless, 1t was a great step in ad-
vance to have this principle of working
mems compensation accepted and embod-
led in the federal statutes, and the recent
action in congress in providing for COM
mission to study and report upon the sub
ject gives promise that the same principle
, will soon be applied to private firms that
come within the Jurisdiction of the fedora
government.
Women and children should, beyond al
question, be protected; and in their cases
there can be no question that the states
should act, and no question that the gov.
eminent should act. They should be par
tcular objects of our solicitude; and they
( should be guarded in an effective fashion
b, against the demands of a too greeey com
mercialism. On my recent trip in the neigh
= borhood of Scranton and Wilkesbarre every
. one l spoke to agreed as to the immens,
y improvement that had been wrought b,
9 the effective enforcement of the laws pro
1 hibiting children under the age OF IA year
9 lIOIn WoIhlHB women iron
n working more than ten hours a day Per
sonaly, l think ten hours too long, but, b.
= this as It may ten hours a day was
4 great advance.
e Labor PInnks Endorsed.
s Among the planks In the platform OF tn
y American Federation of Labor there ar
II some to which 1 very strongly subscribe
It They are:
e /. Free schools free text books and com
II pulsory education.
= 2. A work day OF not more than eigh
It hours
10 3. Release from employment one day 4
e seven.
4 The abolition OF the sweatshop system
e. g. Sanitary inspection of factory, work
n shop, mine and home
N Liability Of employers for injury t
W body or loss of life.
"a III regard the demand in this form q
1t inadequate. What We need is an automat
n cally fixed compensation for all injurit
y received by the employe in the course
Id his duty. this being infinitely better for II
re employe and more just to the employee
j. The only sufferers will be lawyers of the
u undesirable class which exists chiefly b
IN carrying on lawsuits Of this nature)