The evening world., 1912-01-20
URGE new LAWS
70 SAFEGUARD THE
LIVES Of WORKERS
State Factory investigating
Committee Would S.uly
Problems More.

The state Factory investigation
q Commission, which came into being us
. result OF the Asch Building IRE in
> which Ia lives were loaf. IL abou, 80
ask the Legislature TO enact some new
laws. The commission goes out Of cy-
istence o. FEB. u. and. among other
things. tho members VIII recommend
that ., be granted a further lease 90
NE. believing that considerable good
viii result ~ the work DO continued.
h commission wall connue its rec
Communications o. ono or two laws. IN
eescutivs session Will lie held to-Sy
~ which these Will bo drafted into "A
report.
In this Investigation tAe comM .iH,on
was requested 10 look into matters nf-
fecting the health ana sn'c,y OF workers
a. Well as the security and best intrrcHis
Of the public In tae loft or factory
buildings In caties q. She FIRST -sd
second class. Nine members coupos
the bo~dy-Senator Robert +. Wagner.
CHAIRMAN. Senator Charles VI Iianil-
ton. Assemblyman Alfred T.. Smith.
Assembly, an Edward u Jackron, AS
ssmblyman cyrus w. philips. snmucl
0ompsTs. Simon Bretano. Robert T..
Bowling and Miss Mary y. Drclr. \. T..
Hikus IL tho counsel. The legislature
made an appropriation of $1,000 10 pay
the expenses.
TOOK MUCH TESTIMONY HERE
AND UP STATE.
The commission has held -four weeks
OF Investigations. Three weeks wero
with hearings In New York
ana another week up state. Five large
tvDewT1tten volume. contain the evil
do0ce taken at III. various hoar-
inGs. Altogether there are 9.Loo pages
of testimony.
M. Elkus has prepared several sug-
sestions for legislation. They viii he
cus to-day before framing the
report.
The nrst question that confronts the
commission 10 what can be done with
present existing buildings TO make them
lees dangerous for the workers and for
h public" said Mr.. Elkus to-day.
This applies 10 nrcproof ar well rs
structures not freproof. The commission
Will recommend legislation recurring
Sees's Nv NdliS VI FpINIlNitt ny tlt1lh.
II may recommend fire drills and the
designation Of all irc exits In "a building
by having them painted red or made
apparent with red lights. The comnis-
sien will possibly recommend the COM.
pulsory placing OF all waste paper or
ee0oustible refuge IN metal receptacics.
The commission took the testimony
OF Fire Chief Kcnlon n other depart
ment officials as well as that Of many
Insurance men. and II seemed 10 he the
consensus Of opinion among them that
were sprinkiers Installed IN loft build.
tnSs there would be no loss OF life.
OF course the installa ton OF fire
walls n sprinkiing systems would not
apoly 80 small buildings that could be
safely cmptied of their workers. hut
would apply 10 buildings OF five or six
stories or over. The commission may
Aloo recommend automatic nre alarm
sy0eoms In factories.
WOULD LICENSE AND INSPECT
ALL BAKERIES.
Tho commission has ron. very thor
oughly Into sanitary and economic con-
ditions in the factories. 1t will make
d recommendation for a law with re-
spect TO bakeries. urging that all baker
lee be licensed ana subject to inspection
by the Board of Health. II may also
recosnmsnd legislation preventing moth
ere from working until after a month
he's expired from the birth Of u child
THE factory owners. fearing our In
v~001gaton. have begun TO s~traight.n
out conditions which they knew we're
iaoropsr.
the Commission viii also recommend
comprehensive rcorgN niza ton OF ths
entire labor department OF the State.
We found that the present system Of
factory inspections IL alinos, useless In
its accomplishments"
senator Robert +. Wagner. chairman.
said the commission would require n
new lease OF life 90 accomplish half the
things II had investigated. both with
respect 10 IRE hangers and sanitary con-
ditiens In factories.
One him the commisslin vii, recon
mend." said ensto Wagner. rs that
the legislature pass a law requiring the
registering OF all factories IN the Sta;c.
At oreeont inspectors spend tho greater
payt Of their time locating factories
The commission Will also
the abolition altogether OF basement
bakeries.
The most startling problem that has
c~onfrontcd the commission g. that a.:
industrial diseases. II IL n tremendous
queDtton and ono that will require son
siAerAbie time and effort TO solve. Tho
ce0fn1osion should be srantsi another
year oc life that N may ascertain what
part1eu lar diseases are IN. result OF va
rious occupations. II the commission
can md the causes steps might then be
taken to bring about remedies.
T1A0 0vERc0ME nv SMOkE