The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-01-07

upon the hat industry.
THE first action of mercury pois-
oning is mental" says the report.
The subject becomes melancholy,
morose and respondent, and among
matters there is a predisposition to
suicide.
The body shows symptoms gen.
orally in the mouth and nervous
system; the teeth become loosened
and blackened, and salvation sets in.
The digestive tract and the kidneys
are invaded, and soon partial nerve
paralysis reveals itself in tremors Of
arms, hands, feet, facial and speech
muscles. This tremor or "shake'
is the distinctive feature of mecurial-
ism. When the hands grow unsteady
the man. however expert, must leave
the more delicate processes, fro he
tears the soft hat bodies Often he
is locked two dollars for each hat
ne spoils, and the sums deducted
combine with his ever lessening earn-
ing capacity xrapidly to force him
down. The melancholia and the ever
present need for bracing the unsteady
nerves unite to bring about a use Of
stimulants, which only aggravate the
disease
Labor Laws and the Workers..
TO what extent can we rely upon
the cooperation of the workers
themselves in calling attention to vi
Citations of labor laws?'' was the ques-
ton raised by Edwin R. Wright
member of the Illinois commission
on employers liability. He said "the
best kind OF labor laws are those
which from their nature become au-
tomato through intelligent co-opera-
ton of the inspection department and
the Workmen Protected Few en-
ployers have the hardihood to with
stand the provision of protective
measures when a reasonable assur-
ance is given that the workmen
themselves propose to comply with
the same.
The workman must have some-
thing tangible in mind to secure his
cooperation When told that the
life of the German workman has
been heightened seven years since
the establishment of governmental
inspection he begins to see the prac-
teal nature of the laws he has been
demanding. Well paid workmen de-
| mand larger measure of protection
than poorly paid employees.
where a real attempt is made by
the factory inspection department to
enforce the laws there is an active
cooperation on the part of the work.
! ers. Where the department is merely
| cog in the political machine the
| workers are apathetic.'
DR.. Sidney I. Schwab, of st. Louis
! Medical university, presented interest
! ing conclusions with reference to
Fatigue from overstrain based on his
studies of "Neurasthenia in Garment
| Workers." .-s.
Slaughter of Men.
Daniel L. Cease, editor of the Rail-
way Trainmen's magazine and men,
Der of the National Commission on
! Employers Liability, submitted a pa
! per on Compulsory Compensation
! for Injured Workmen.'' He said that
the railroad casualty statistics for
! the last year showed that mine men
were killed each twenty-four hours,
and that one was injured or killed
/ every minutes. One man was killed
! for each 25 employed, and one was
injured for every nine. employed. The
working life of brakeman is esti-
! mated, at only seven years."
Thomas I. Parkinson, of New York,
counsel for the Legislation Drafting
| association, said:
For several wears there has heen
a general tendency throughout the
country to enact laws increasing en-
ployers' liability for the damages
sustained by employees in Industrial
accidents. These laws are founded
! on recognition of the injustice of
the judge made rules of the common
law which in practice put upon the
injured workmen or those dependent
on his wages the whole hardship in
! cident to his injury'