Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-20
MILLIONS OF SICK YEARLY
Labor Legislation and 0ccupational
Diseases Get Consideration.
TOPICS FROM NEW YORK MEETING
Annual Convention of Association
for Labor Legislation 60 ne Held
Next week HISS Big
Promise.


! and o. the American Association for Labor
, legislation holds its fourth annual meet
( ing at st. Louis in Planters hotel. Since
J its organization In 1896 as the American
I section OF the International Association for
Labor Legislation its record has been one
/ OF unremitting and increasing activity. II
/ has taken leading part In educating and
directing the demand for labor legisla-
I ton.
/ The association regards the labor problem
in one OF it's most important phases, as be-
ing largely a health problem. and with this
conception constantly before II, II lays
emphasis upon the means by which occupa-
tionaI diseases may be eliminated. As a
result OF It's activity a memorial was re-
Gently submitted to President Taft, en-
bodying facts and figures relating to In
dustrial diseases. showing that there are
upwards OF 100000 cases Of sickness each
year among those engaged in Industrial
occupations; and It has been conservatively
estimated that this represents national
loss of fully three-qusrters Of billion
dollars annually.
Realizing these facts the association has
taken for its watchword the motto Con
servation OF Human Resources" and the
forthcoming meeting at St. Louis will have
for its main work the problem OF determin-
ing the best means by which such conser-
walton may be effected. The proceedings
will be watched by every thoughtful oid-
zen with interest, since the meeting viii
deal in n thoroughly scientific manner with
the fundamental conditions of the nation $
material and physical prosperity
OpeninE Addresses.
The opening session will be held Jointly
with the American Sociological society ana
the American Statistical association. Prof..
Henry W. Farnam Of Yale university
opens with an address on, practical Meth
DDS in Labor legislation Prof. Franklin
II. Giddens of Columbia university follows
with a paper on THE Relation OF Social
Theory to Public Policy; and Frederick
L. Hoffman OF the Prudential Insurance
company closes the first session with a
paper on Fifty Years Of Life Insurance
Progress" Thus, in the opening session
both theory and practice are presented, the
high regulations Of the lecturers standing
as a guarantee that the association viii
have at its disposal the latest and most
authoritative conclusions in these In
separable fields.
The third session includes a series Of
most important discussions, fittingly
opened with the subject OF Industrial
Hygiene" Among the question to be raised
on this head are; /. Should the national
government investigate industrial diseases
2. How far can occupatlonal diseases be
eliminated through national legislation? 3.
Should medical practitioners be required
to report Industrial diseases to the state
factory inspector? 4. Do we need medical
inspection of factorles?- important topic
on which there can be little disagreement
l,aaN Oh. f,,F
ton. s. Do we need a special clinic, such
as Italy has established, for the study and
prevention of Industrial diseases? 6.
Should employers and insurance companies
be required to keep records and report by
causes and occupations all cases of in
dustrial accidents2 Among those who will
lead the discussions are: Charles p. NELL
OF washington, Charles r. Henderson of
Chicago, David Edsell of Philadelphia;
Sidney Schwab and Frederick N, Judson
of st. Louis. William w Walcott of Bos-
ton and Leonard w. Hatch Of Albany.
Working Hours for Women.
The consideration Of Industrial hygiene
is followed by a closely allied subject, that
OF THE Limitation OF the Working Hours
OF Women" q subject on which interna-
tional legislation, embracing fourteen
European countries, has already been Sc
cured. We are altogether behind the times
on this subject and the association will
therefore discuss the most effective
method Of securing cooperation between
organizations interested in effecting the
Limitation of the working hours Of women.
The association has already done most i'm,
portant work in this field, approaching
the subject from the standpoint that
permanent Industrial progress cannot be
built upon the physical exhaustion of
women"
Those acquainted in the most superb clal
degree with labor legislation know that
the enforcement OF the law is one of the
most important, as well as one of the
most difficult, problems confronting the
nation. Discussion on this subject win
therefore, 1t is hoped, elicit definite infor-
nation on What can be done to secure
more efficient systems of factory inspec,
ton and better enforcement OF labor laws"
To this end full information is the first
requisite, and the question naturally ar
Uses ITO what extent can the workers
themselves cooperate in calling attention
to the violations Of labor laws?' Edgar
T. Davies of Chicago John r. Commons
Of Madison and William McEwen OF st.
Paul will lead the discussions.
OccupattOnaI Diseases.
At the closing session Alice Hamilton,
medical investigator of the Illinois com
mission on occupational diseases. will sub
NIT a paper on Lead Poisoning I'm iii
nois" Frederick L. Hoffman contributes a
paper from the statistical standpoint on
Industrial Diseases in America" Fred C.
Sehwedtman OF the National Association of
Manufacturers contributes a paper on
voluntary Indemnity for Injured Work.
men, "and Daniel L. Cease Of the national
commission on employers liability follows
with a paper from the opposite point OF
view, Compulsory Compensation for In
jured Workmen." Thomas l. Parkinson Of
the Legislative Drafting association con-
tributes the last paper Of the meeting on
Progress Of Workmens Compensation
Legislation in the United States"
Few organizations present more impor-
tant questions for public discussion. Ger
tainly no other organization is dealing
more scientifically and effectively with
these perplexing problems that are Of i'm
mediate and vital Importance to the health
and efficiency Of the workers OF the ma