Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-07-29
FACTORY CASUALTIES.

| as Is very frequently the case In Such
/ presentments, the statement of facts
concerning the shoe as a source of
trouble and the deductions therefrom
have been questioned This. justifies
main facts and principles cited in the
| former paper.
Because it is officially recorded and
accepted as evidence Of weakness in
organizations on which the great ma
lions expect to rest the defense of
their national life, we take it for
| granted that the statement that the
shoe Is the source of general disa-
bility from foot excavations in the
shoe wearing armies of the world
amounting to at least 80 per cent will
be accepted as approximately correct.
Soldiers wear shoes chosen more for
the purpose of protection and comfort
than for any consideration of appear
ance. The civilian, on the other hand,
! especially if young and inexperienced,
! considers style and what others may
think of his foot-gear above every
| thing else. Now, If selected physical
! specimens of hardy, trained men using
their best efforts to secure comfort
and efficiency experience 80 per cent
| disability from shoes so chosen. 1t is
not unreasonable to assume that even
| higher rate prevails among civil
| ians; and this is undoubtedly the
chief reason why SO few persons have
! the walking habit these days-they
| cannot walk because their shoes will
not permit them to do SO in comfort.
That too is why so many fiabby mus
cled, pasty faced men and women are
seen on our streets. Such stock is
timid and cowardly, and is easily
thrown into panic or disease, and is
therefore logical source of origin for
many social and industrial ills.
The margin of safety in many dus-
tries is the matter of a fraction II an
inch, and anything, whether it be an
ear-ache, a tooth-ache or foot-ache
that diverts the mind from the work
in hand tends to reduce the alertness
and general muscular control, and the
loss of so much as that fraction Of an
|
Statistics covering accidents in fac
tories in Illinois for a period of one
year show that between the hours OF
s and o'clock in the morning there
| were 100 accidents, and this number
steadily and progressively increased
until in the hour between IL and IL,
noon. 257 accidents were recorded.
Then between l and o'clock, after
noon, III accidents occurred, and the
number again increased progressively
hour after hour until, between 4 and
! o'clock the maximum of 260 accidents
was reached. This shows a total OF
SIT accidents in the fatigued state as
against 231 accidents when approx
mately fresh. And carefully note the
difference between the first morning
hours and the first afternoon hours.
The difference between the early
morning hour and the early afternoon
hour is comparatively slight, but 1t is
highly significant in that it points to
personal negligence on the part Of the
operator between the hours Of 5 p. m.
and a. M 1t brings the subject of
social conditions in the home to the
front, opens up the matter of personal
hygiene, of sleeping quarters, of hab-
its OF food drink, smoking, and every
thing that takes place outside the fac
tory.
The writer frankly confesses that.
as the result of observations made in
some twelve or more states, if he we're
a manufacturer, banker or mer-
/ chant he would not employ any person
with pinched and sore feet to operate
any power machine capable Of injur-
ing the operator or fellow employe,
or to handle or account for any mate
rial sums of money, or to transact any
business requiring exactness and ex-
ecutive ability. For it is demonstrated
beyond the shade of a doubt that no
mind can consciously entertain two
impressions at the same time, and
therefore keen and sustained alertness
is impossible to any individual under
/ physical irritation.
| In the unity of materials, machinery
! and men that constitutes the modern
| factory organization. the most impor-
tant factor is the men,. Every concern
/ of any size has its purchasing agents,
| its inspectors and laboratories to ex-
| anime and test incoming and outgoing
materials; It's machinists and invent
ors to keep the mechanical part to
standard of efficiency; but little at
tention has been given the most fun
damental OF all the factors-the men.
| Efficiency depends on close attention,
Imagination and the ability for quick
adjustment. Unexpected and suddenly
occurring complications demand in
slant decision without time for reflec-
ton. and herein the man under irrita-
ton becomes a source of danger to
himself and to his fellow employees,
for he is in a state where the element
of danger results in an emotional
/ wave which may produce temporary