Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-08-30

AS manufacturing has developed IN
the other states some protective pro-
visions have been adopted. The pres.
ent status OF their provisions Is as fol.
lows:
Twenty-four states require factories
to be 80 ventilated that a sufficient
amount of air space shall be provided
for each operative.
Thirty-three states require fire es-
capes on factories and public build
ings.
Twenty-four states require guards
on dangerous machinery.
Twenty-seven states insist upon
sanitary and sufficient toilet rooms for
the sexes.
Thirty states provide factory In
laws.
Seventeen states make 1t mandatory
for employers to report all accidents
to an authorized state official 30 that
accurate vital records can be readily
obtained for the further advice and in
formation Of the people as to the
| needs of additional conservation Of life
| and limb. This is an especially neces-
sary provision.
by children.
compensatlng the Manned.
Thirty-eight states have enacted
some form Of employers liability law,
very few of which have been in.
terpreted favorably for the workers
by the courts. This is to be account
ed for largely because the courts have
clung tenaciously to former prece-
dences of peculiar judicial reasonings,
which have at times been referred to
as the "unholy trinity" viz, "assump-
| tion Of risk" "contributory negli.
gence" and "fellow-servant" rulings,
as il these obstacles were not large
enough to Offset a workmans claim
for damages. Another methcd has
been devised which the courts have
duly recognized as valid and sufh eient
grounds to prevent an injured em.
ploye from obtaining an award for
damages. This cunning device has
been to induce or coerce an empioye
when arranging for employment to
sign contract "waiving his rights" to
sue for damages in case of injury dur
ing employment.
Giving Life a Value.
Notifications OF the common law
rulings of assumed risk" and con,
tributory" to Comparative negligence
have been adopted in several states
but such triffing with measures OF
such grave import is not sufficient
Just, humane and effective legislation
must be enacted by the states-legis
lation that is uniform and uniformly
good; effective legislation that will
forever abolish the defense known as
fellow servant" rule, "contributory
negligence" Assumption of risk" and
"waiving of rights"
Industry must bear the financial
burden of accidents to the human be
ing, exactly as it does now toward me
chanical accidents, or accidents tina,
occur through the natural elements.
Compelling Safety Appliances.
The next in importance are safety
appliance laws, enacted by the con
gress for the purpose Of conserving
life on the interstate railroads of thu
United States. Every one of thes,
laws is monument to the everlasting
credit of organized labor.
This complication of life-saylng ant
J life-preserving legislation enacted b,
the state legislatures and the United
States congress at the behest Of thu
organizations of labor Is far from be
ing complete record, but it is sufi
nj a. fn hn VII
, ers and to convince the most skeptica
/, as to the great good which has beel
: accomplished for an labor-unorgan
ized as we'll as organized-and partic
: ularly for that part Of society some
times defined as the general public
who have been safeguarded Will
, travelling on railroads, while resting
In hotels, amused in theaters, or whel
, coming in contact with those VIII
might disseminate disease propagate
L in workshops or factories that woul
r remain insanitary and dangerous If
5 had not been for the vigilance, fidelit
} and foresight of the organized work
5 ers.
3 So We feel cheered on this Labo
) Day. We even feel like laying asid
. the hardness that is acquired in tn
+ course of many battles against bi
odds and allowing the sentiments
: sides of our natures to show then
J, selves. We feel like talking of ou
+ women and children. and the battl
organized labor is waging to max
n them comfortable at their work an
e healthy in their homes. We want t
: cite the human suffering that the o.
d ganized workers have been able t
t abolish, and to pledge ourselves ane'
J. to continued battle to bring decor
}, working hours and conditions int
g those dark places of the nation tha
+ are still its most crying disgrace. Ant
t withal, We are sanguine OF day tha
d is coming when all working peopl