The Washington herald., 1912-04-04
's0LONs stop USE
|. OF POISON MATCH
Senate Passes Bill Adopted
by House Placing High
Tax on Phosphorus.
DEBATE GROWS WEIRD

The Senate yesterday afternoon passed
the so-cslled '.phossy jaw" bill. This
measure levies a prohibitiye internal rev.
enue tax on matches in the manufacture
of which white phosphorous Is used.
Advocates of the bill acknowledged that
the purpose OF the tax is to accomplish
by indirect means what Congress could
not accomplish directly, owing to consti-
tutional limitations. namely, the doing
away with the manufacture Of matches
from white phosphorous and the protec-
tion of workmen IN match factories
against the hideous bone disease called
''phossy jaw caused by the poisonous
fumes of PHOSPHORUS. The House al
ready has passed the bill. and IL viii
now go to the President for his sigma
ture.
Bailey Opposes Him.
Senator Bailey, OF Texas, stubbornly
opposed the bill on constitutional grounds,
declaring that the proposed legislation
was a fraud on the Federal Constitution.
Senator Bailey contended that IL Congress
assumed the power to tax one industry
out of existence It could treat any other
in a similar manner. He added that the
situation was one that the State legtsla-
lures, not Congress. ought to handle.
Although the subject before the Senate
was of a most serious character, the
galleries which were filled with Easter
holiday visitors. were highly entertained
by the debate
Senator Bailey, for instance, gave one
Of the reasons why he was glad to retire
from the Senate and told how he, unlike
the average mortal, had admired instead
Of detesting Shakespeare's Shylock. SEN
ator Bailey grew eloquent on the latter
subject, but some of the Boston school
msams in the galleries smiled when he
said that Shylock seemed to love his
money better than his daughter because
II came nearer to breaking his heart
that she had run away with his ducats
than 1t did that she had run away with
the 'Dusky Moor" The Senator later
caught the notes Of his speech and SUBJ
stituted Lorenzo" for the ''Dusky
Moor"
But even the high school girls in the
galleries enjoyed a litter when Senator
MARITIME, of New Jersey, who was cham
pioning the bill. invited the Senate's at.
tention TO a recent magazine article ''un-
der the non de plume of Matches and
Men,"
Lodge Astonishes senate.
Senator Lodge. usually one OF the Sem
ate's purists, added to the announcement
by referring in his speech ito the jaw
bone of the face" Senator Hepburn in
terrupted long enough to recite the his
tory of match manufacturers in this
and to trace the meaning OF
the word 'lucifa" to its earliest begin
nings Also the Senator from Idaho dis
that the Senate itself had been
using these 'phossy and ancient
While others had been debat-
ing the constitutional points, he had been
busily engaged picking the heads of the
to pieces. He had discovered
that the white cap on the head Of the
match concealed ''inf1ammsble material"
Senator Bailey was very bitter in his
opposition to the bill on constitutional
grounds. He declared that one OF the
reasons he was glad to leave the Senate
was because he was getting tired OF hear
ng members say: Yes, / agree with
your constitutional argument. but it will
lot be practical"
Senator Bailey referred to Shylock by
way of emphasizing what he regarded
Is the Senates subterfuge in this matter.
Following the passage Of the measure,
DR.. John B. Andrews, Of New York, who
IS secretary OF the American Association
1f Labor Legislation has directed the
.wo years campaign gave out a state
nent declaring the measure passed to be
II incalculable benefit to humanity. He
aid the passage of the measure effect
vely stopped the use of poisonous phos-
rhorous and thereby abolished "phossy !
aw.' the most loathsome Of all indus |
rial diseases"