Imperial Valley press., 1914-11-13
UNIFORM LAWS FOR
SAFELY OF WORkER

enactment of uniform laws for the
safety of the workers. Such co-opera
tion, Governor Dunno held, is essen
tial for the protection of business
and manufacturing in states, which
have enacted progressive laws, against
unjust competition of business and
manufacturing in other states which
have no safety appliance laws, or fail
to properly enforce such laws as they
have enacted.
The governor recited some of the
achievements of the. department of
factory inspection in Illinois.
"Since the enactment of such laws, .
said Governor Dunno, "The Illinois
department has compelled over $4,000
dangerous machinery parts to be pro-
vided with safeguards. 1t has en-
forced the construction of over 5000
fire escapes and exits, and 1000 de-
vices or elevators insuring their
safety. 1t has enforced the guard
ing of over $4,000 belts and pulleys,
10000 gears and 1900 emery wheels.
1t has compelled the removal of over
$4,000 set screws. 1t has issued
$4,000 orders covering sanitation and
ventilation and eliminated or corn
PEELED changes in over $4,000 pos
sible sources of danger from ma
chinery. 1t has compelled the safe
guarding of machinery during the
past four years which has cost en-
ployers $4,OO0,O00, and has taken
steps, which, during the Forthcoming
year, with the approval of the direc-
tors of several Illinois corporations,
will result in the expenditure of a
sum greater than $4,000,000.
"Not only has the state of Illinois
made stringent changes in the inter
est of the safety of life and limb,
but il has enforced many laws on
sanitation of inestimable value to the
working men and women of the state.
"a progressive state, which enacts
humane laws for the conservation OF
human life and limb, and for the
preservation of the health, morals and
well-being of its laboring citizens, is
thus placed at a great disadvantage
as compared with non progressive
state, which, by its failure to enact
such laws, invites the manufacturer
whose only aim is financial profit,
within its borders, and thus enhances
the manufacturing development in
such nonprogressiye states.
'It must be apparent that if such
salutary laws must be passed and en- :,
forced-as all must concede-that
there should be more 'or less uniform
ity of Legislation in all the states where
such industries are carried on, or the
enactment of federal laws covering
the subject matter. This latter al
tentative has been seriously urged by
many manufacturers and political
economists; but, in my judgment, is
not feasible or possible. Federal leg.
islation, under the Interstate Com.
merce Act, may be applied to Inter
state railroads, and other interstate
utilities, but most of the product of
our manufacturing industries are not
impressed with an interstate char
acter. A federal law must be uniform
in its application to all parts of the
United States, and law which might
be salutary and advisable relating to
the manufacture of goods in the tenc-
ment districts of New York, Phia-
delphia and Chicago, might be grossly
unjust and unduly onerous in western
villages and cities.
at may be objected that the en-
actment of such uniform laws as the
result of conferences between COM
missions representing various states,
is in violation of section 10, article /,
of the constitution of the United
States which declares, That no state
shall enter into any treaty, alliance or
confederation My answer to this is
that no official compact or treaty be-
tween the states is necessary. The
enactment of uniform laws in each
state, corresponding with the laws of
a sister state, will be the result, not
of interstate agreement, but inter-
change of experience and wisdom be-
tween the citizens of such states.
Identical or similar laws can be passed
by such great nations as Great Brit
ain, France or Germany without com
pact and will be binding upon the
subjects of said nations when enacted
Uniform laws enacted by the great
manufacturing states, relating to SAN
itation and safety of life and limb of
industrial workers, is crying de-
mand of the time, and, ] believe, is d
matter of early accomplishment"
Reduced Rates, Holt0n lnterurban Ry.,
account Imperial County Fair. Sale