The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-05-11
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
IN HOME WORKSHOP EASY
PREY FOR WHITE PLAGUE
Commissioner Powers Would
Aid Without Interfering
With Rights
SENDS ANNUAL REPORT
Favors Museum of Safety and
Sanitation To Help Fac
tory Inspectors

LANSING, Mich, Nav 10.-Labor
Commissioner Perry f. Powers In his
annual report. submitted to Gov. Os-
born today, reviews the work OF his
department for the past year and
makes suggestions for legislative
acts, which he believes would have a
tendency to further increase its eff
ficiency.
He says the limit OF remuneration
provided for factory inspectors since
the establishment of the inspection
law, has remained at the lowest point
allowed for state department clerks,
Notwithstanding the fact that the mod
ern factory OF today. with its COM
plicated machinery, should make IL
possible to provide inspectors tech
nically trained and experienced to
thoroughly perform the very impor-
tant duties expected OF them.
The records OF the state labor CON-
mission show that very large pro-
. portion OF the accidents that have
occurred In this state In recent years,
were anticipated by factory inspectors
through orders given to make changes
or TO adopt devices, or to proven.
practices on the part OF the workmen,
which, In the opinion OF the inspec.
tors. would lead TO serious or minor
injuries to the employees or property
Commissioner Powers says this not
only provides undeniable testimony
as to the value OF the factory in
spection service in the way OF locat-
ing and calling attention TO the dan
ger points In manufacturing and In
dustrial plants, but IL also serves TO
show that large proportion OF the
injuries received by employees at these
plants could have been and should
have been prevented.
Thorough investigation as TO the
value of such provision elsewhere has
caused Commissioner Powers TO bo-
lieve that the establishment in Mich
igan Of Museum OF Safety and San
itation would prove OF great value to
the industrial operators of Michigan.
as well as to their employees and the
state factory inspectors. An exhibition
Of safety devices in connection with the
operation of machinery has been ex-
perimented with and found TO be at
tractive to those interested in such
directions, and possessed OF great
practical value.
Particular attention has been paid
to FIRE escapes on school and factory
buildings, and provisions which will
provide safety for buildings. will be
insisted upon without reference to
technical objections or to unwilling
ness on the part OF the building own
ers.
ut has been we'll stated by one
who has given careful thought TO In
vestigation into such directions that
% make the dwelling a factory annex
Is an invasion OF the home which
should not be tolerated" says Pow
ers in his report. "The home work
shop is neither home nor factory.
"The fact that the labor law OF
Michigan contains no provision 10
prevent the employment or children
nor to restrict the working hours or
minors or women in tenements is
fault that aggravates all OF the other
evils connected with such work. me
home workshop Is factory without
a closing hour Home work and con-
restion, bad ventilation and dark
rooms. go hand in hand. To permit
women and children TO work and i've
I'm poorly lighted, badly ventilated
rooms. polluted by overcrowding so
that the air is contaminated. tur-
nishes new recruits to the ranks OF
tuberculosis victims. While fully
recognizing the claim and the right
10 do the best they can on the part
OF those who are unable TO carry on
work by the side OF able bodied men
and women in factories and work.
shops. II would appear that this right
could be fully met in some better way
than through the continuance ana
larger growth in this state OF tene-
ment house work with It's very unde,
sirable accompanying conditions anu
surroundings"
Owing to the fact that some OF the
requirements relating to the labor OF
women. especially that reducing tne
limit OF their hours Of labor TO %
per week, was a long step In advance
for Michigan. efforts TO enforce II
met with inconsistent objection IRON
some employees. Commissioner Pow,
ers SAYS, however. to the credlt OF
some others, II should be said that
AZ soon as they learned OF It's enact
ment many employers OF women ana
children, prepared at once to enter
upon full compliance with It's pro-
visions.