Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-24
Congress Should Protect
Workers Against Disease.
PLEA FOR PROPER LAW
Enactment Authorizing q National
Commission Also Advocated.
AFFECTS 100000
Text of the Addresses Today Before
Woman's Welfare Department,
Civic Federation.

That the health and sanitary conditions
affecting 35.O0OOO0 working men, wom
en- and children in the combined indus
tries Of the United States. rest on the
enactment of legislation providing for a
national industrial hygiene commission
was a statement made by John Andrew,
secretary of the American Association
for Labor Legislation, today before the
woman's welfare department of the Nd
tional Civic Federation meeting at the
home Of Mrs. A. ]. Parsons, 1904 18th
street northwest.
Diseases affecting the workinxman and
his sanitary conditions, most all of which
could be prevented by proper legislation,
and particularly the dangers arising from
the common parlor match, were the s1b-
1ects of addresses by Mr.. Andrews and
Representative ]. j. Esch Of Wisconsin
That the real solution of these diseases
OF occupations" as they were termed, lies
In federal investigation, to gather stats
tics and data to enable the framing of
federal legislation, was the opinion of
| both speakers.
representative Esch, who is the
| father of the match bill" or the
phossy Jaw bill, placing a heavy tax
on the matches containing phosphorus
poison. defended his bill and pointed
OUT the evils that lie in the ordinary
| parior strike anywhere" match.
License as Well as Tax.
He declared that a tax OF / cent
upon every hundred matches should
| be imposed, and that manufacturers
should be compelled to pay $1,000 for
license to manufacture such matches.
Taxation, he declared, was found to
be the only remedy.
Representative Esch said that after the
DILL had been given hearings by both
House and Senate committees it was re-
touched to such an extent that the only
course left open to it's hackers is 70 urge
that the manufacture of these matches
be made Improbable by Imposing a rigid
tax upon them. He declared that Con-
gress would be justified in imposing such
TAX, II the Dill were passed. by decisions
rendered IN similar cases by the United
states Supreme Court. BY this taxing
power. he said. Russia has reduced the
production OF the poisonous" match 80
greatly that today only one match in
nlty contains the phosphorus poison.
In order to improve the conditions of
the iaboring people and prevent the
spread of the diseases of occupation. he
deciaSed that the only way to accom-
piish 1t was to get down to the bare
facts-to gather data sufficient to war
| rant the creation of a national commits
sion. The parable of the Good Samaritan.
ne said, should be fitted to modern life.
and like the Good Samaritan the govern
ment ought to stop in its course to aid
these diseases.
1t is not right" he said. that the
burden should rest on the shoulders of
inc Workingmen and on those of his
widow. but Congress should. by law, re-
quire that the burden should rest by tax
alton upon the shoulders of the manu-
facturer who insists upon the use of these
deadly devices
What the Reports Show.
Mr.. Andrew stated that reports show
that among the 81, 900 persons en-
gagged In industrial pursuits there Is a
loss in days and wages annually, on &C.
count of sickness and accidents, amount
ing to three-quarters Of a billion dollars,
all Of which can be greatly reduced il
the government would pass legislation
enforcing Industrial hygiene.
The United States. he said is left far
behind in this matter by every influential
country In Europe. Italy leading He
urged the necessity of clinic in the
United States to study the causes Of the
diseases Of occupation, and appealed to
employees to take keen and intelligent in
terest in their own physical welfare.
Sixty-seven per cent of the matches
made in this country are manufactured
by the match trust. Mr.. Andrews asse ted,
resulting in 'phossy jaw one of the
greatest enemies Of the working man.
Reports show that there are twenty
seven trades affected by lead poisoning
ed by other poisonings. all Of which could
be eliminated. or the mortality greatly
reduced by federal legislation. The United
States Is only on the threshold Of investi-
cations, he said. while Europe is outdoing
the United States by Investigations, ma
tiOnal legislation and commissions which
are studying the problems and applying
its remedies. France pays out annually
thousands of dollars as pensions to work.
ing men so affected by diseases, and
lately took drastic steps prohibiting the
use of the phosphorus poison In the
manufacture Of matches.
Need Of Agitation.
Dissemination of material gathered by
these investigations. Mr.. Andrews stated,
is the thing needed today in this country,
and sentiment among the employees should
be so created and enlightened by plain
facts that Congress would be made to see
the necessity Of establishing a nation in
dustrial hygiene commission.
Miss Edith Wetmore, chairman of the
committee, presided at the meeting She
introduced the speakers and spoke OF the
importance of the work. which both Mr..
Andrew and Representative Esch are
undertaking.
The next meeting Of the Woman.s We'll
fare Department will be held January 81
at II o'clock, at the home Of Mrs. Par
sons. DR.. w. C. Woodward, health officer
of the District. will speak on 'Tubercu-
losis and the Milk Supply Of the Dis
trict,'' and DR.. Harvey w. Wiley will
sneak ON ..Tuherculosis and Pure Food"