United labor bulletin., 1911-01-19

me sdcrInce OF human lives in the
coal mines OF the country is nothing
short of appalling. While the frequent
disasters and accompanying loss of life
startles the public momentarily but little
thought has been given to the aggregate
loss from such calamities. In few days
the accident is forgotten, until the pa
pers chronicle another with ever increas-
ing loss of life 1t is high time that some
thing is done by the government to stop
this frightful sacrifice of human life for
sacrifice it is. Most of the present day
mine disasters are caused by negligence
on the part OF the wealthy operators,
who have little if any regard for the
poor miner who, at a miserable low
wage, tolls day after day in the bowls
OF the earth, until his miserable life is
snuffed out by an accident that could
have been prevented. Organized labor
has persistently demanded better safe
guards for the miners, but the effect of
such benefcent laws as are secured are
entirely negatived owing to the lax sys-
TEN of enforcement by the authorities.
And so the slaughter goes on and the
public is fast growing to become accus-
toned TO it. The loss of life in the coal
mines during the last 20 years has just
been made public by the Federal Bureau
OF Mines The st. Louis Times. COM
|
Prof. James C. Edwards of the Fed
eral Bureau of Mines, is credited with
the statement that during the past 20
years 10000 men have lost their lives in
American coal mines.
THE figures seem incredible. 1t does
not seem possible that for 20 years the
average number of deaths in the mines
has been l.500; yet we presume Prof.
Edwards speaks with care and knowl-
edge.
Moreover, he asserts that great ma
jority of these deaths have been the re-
suit OF caving walls and falling coal and
that they could have been avoided had
proper precaution been taken.
Most of the mine disasters, he is cred
tied with saying. could have been pre-
vented by common sense.
He adds that the Federal government
cannot compel mine owners to use safety
devices, as only states have the power.
Here. plainly, lies the root of the evil
The government, in its adherence to the
doctrine of the states rights, stands by
while criminal recklessness prevails in
one state or another, or when the people
OF community even go so far as to in
volve the country in international diff
culties.
to send approachable men to the 1egis-
lature; men. who. in many instances,
have not the slightest possible concep-
tion of the dignity of Office and the rights
of men.
But the underlying tragic note in the
statement made by Prof. Edwards
touches the callousuess of a great part
of the public, which is quick to enter
into a quarrel as to the price of coal.
and willing to eountenance the intermin-
able squabbles about the price of labor
in the mine-while all the time the terri
BILE toll of human sacrifice is being made.
and the price" continues TO run up into
the thousands of men sacrificed.
PLAINLY the day must come when the
humaner ranks of men will enter into
discussion OF a new phase of the ancient
problem, the price of coal
TO the sensible person it seems the
utmost criminality that such disasters
should be permitted to occur when they
could be prevented by the use of little
common sense and an honest considera-
ton for the interest and well-being OF
the men who are compelled to dig coal
for a living for themselves and families"