Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-01

SIGN of this subject.
NO figures, however meagre, except
estimates based on the most super
fetal Knowledge of accidents to ma
slinery operatives in Maine. are avail
able, bee ause there is no law To COM
pei employers of labor to make re-
turns. u.
Significant. as well DIS e&asperating,
feature Of every effort to obtain in
formation concerning industrial ac-
cidents is the marked aversion to pub
licity which characterizes a Very large
percentage of the employers of labor.
Every avenue through which accu-
rate information as to tie cause OF an
accident, extent Of injury TO the in
dividual. the machinery or works. the
name of TIE victim or any other fact
that could possibly be of-interest to
the public could escape. is closed and
guarded. Reporters in the employ Of
the dali newspapers are commonly
CARED from plants. their inquiries
met Wits evasion on bald ,lItruth. and
nearly always directed to 80 to the
"office' for information. An indus
trouS reporter can and does discover
more violent. though temporary. cases
of lockJaM in investigating il half
dozen industrial accidents than were
ever chargcablr t" dozen Fourth of
July celebrations
why:
newspapers are founded on an hon
est desire 10 give the news. They give
1t fairly and completely. so far as they
can procure information. The publish
ers know that the public is interested
in every accident and has thu right
to know how many there are, who the
victims are, the extent Of their in
juries. ana above all. the manner in
which each accident occurred. The
public is interested because the pub
lie eventually pays all the bills, in the
purchase price Of the product. in the
support of public or private charities
or in the lower standard forced upon
society by the ever increasing per-
centaSe of dependents and Semi-de>
pendentS created. I'D.
'There are no statistics and there
can be none showing the sufferingS
Of tho families of the injured or killed.
tine continued impaired health Of those
victims who escape with their lives,
the shortened lives. blasted hopes and
ambitions and the thousand other I'M
toward consequences of accidents to
workers.
Maine statute books contain no
law which compels an employer of
labor to report the accidents which oc-
cur among his workmen to any state
bureau or department. though they
do fain In inc he
missioner of Industrial and Labor
Statistics to collect them. Maine needs
tie machinery to procure prompt and
complete publicity of every accident
which occurs within the limits of the
State. BY such publicity will it be
possible to inteiligently proceed to
prevent the recurrence of similar ac-
cidents .distrust and discomfort will
be neutralized if not entirely elimin-
ated, some idea of the true proper
lions of this tremendous industrial and
economic waste can be had and steps
to improve the general conditions sur
rounding Workingmen may be taken
advantageously Nothing can be ac-
compiished as-long as the men charged
With the work are compelled to grope
in the dark. Els u
manufacturers who iare1 thoroughly
alive to the situationi are carefully in
restigating every accident which
comes to their notice. whether in their
own plants or elsewhere. ascertaining
the cause and every attendant cir
constance, so that they can guard
against the accidents of the future.
That is the best use to which such in
=
that the same data will be used
against them in court proceedings to
fix liability. is the cause Of the oppoSi-
ton 30 making returns to the bureau.
As such matter is strictly confidential
AMI is guarded very carefully. there
is no good reason for such tistrust.
'Dur19g the year which ended April
/. 1910. accidents to tho number Of so
were reported on the blanks sent out
b" the Maine Bureau OF Industrial
ard Labor Statistics. These returns
are unsatisfactory in that it is Ger
tain that only a very small percent
az" of tile total number is represented
The filing Of the blanks. under the
present law. is optional with the en-
pioy"r. Only one large employer Of
Labor complied with the request of the
drra rtment fully. Others reported one
or TIVE accidents. A few declined
/ through their counsel. iioSt OF tn.
cmploytrs simply ignored the request
altoecther
/ THE si"se company which replied
il accordanc" with the spirit as Well
as tn" letter Of the laW, reported 40
accidents. or 20 per cent. Of the whole
number reported during til" YEAR by
all the manufacturers OF tn" state.
1t is significant that this company Is
one OF the few tl?:t takes unusual pre-
cautions to provide for til" protection.
comfort and health Of its employees.
If this company.s which protects its
men il. every way called for by modern