The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937, 1916-03-25

Albany. n. Yin a letter to Chair
man Fitzgerald of the New York State
Federation of Labor's legislative COM
mittee, President Gompers discusses the
Mills BILL now pending in the New York
legislature, and which provides for a
system of compulsory health insurance
for workers.
The A. +. of l.. executive refers to in
vestigations of this question now being
conducted by the A. +. of l.. executive
council, under instructions of the Phla
delphia convention. He says the Mills
bill would build up a bureaucracy that
would have some degree of control or
authority over all the workers of the
State"
President Gompers denies the pater-
nal theory that the State should be a
guardian Of the working people and
asks if any one has suggested that bust
ness men. professional men. or those d-
recting our financial, industrial and COM
mcrcial institutions would agree to have
government agents interfere with the
privacy of their lives, as the Mills bill
proposes i'll the case of wage workers.
The trade uniOniSt records emphatic
protest against this paternalsm that is
being continually advocated by protect
orS of the toilerS.'
That the State should provide sick
ness insurance for workers. continues
President Gompers, rs fundamentally
based upon the theory that these work
ers are not able to look after their own
interests and the State must nterpose
its authority and wisdom and assume
the relation of parent or guardian.
There is something in the very sugges-
ton of this relationship and this policy
that is repugnant to a free born citizen.
1t seems to be at variance with our con-
CeptS of voluntary institutions and of
freedom for individuals.
There must necessarily be weaken
ing of independence of spirit and virility
when the compulsory insurance is pro-
vided for so large number of citizens
of the State. Dangers to wage-earners
might readily arise under the machinery
| for the administration of this social in
surance that would establish compulsory
physical examinations. The purpose of
such examinations has been perverted
in many places and made to result to the
detriment of workers. The discretion
AIRY power lodged in the administrative
board could readily be used in efforts
to cocrce organizations of wage-earncrs,
for the administrative body has the pow
cr to approve societies and also with
draw approval at any tmc.
The enactment of this proposed bill
would be another step in the tendency
to regulate everything by law and COM
missions. Several Of our statesmen have
been calling attention to the dangers
lurking in this government by commits
sion. 1t would inevitably build up a
bureaucratic system which would be I'M
der the control and perhaps domination
of agents not directly responsible to the
people, This becomes especially serious
when it has to do with such intimate
matters as health. When once a polti-
cal agent is authorized to take care of
the health of citizens, there is no limit
to the scope of his activities or to his
right to interfere in all of the relations
OF life. Even homes would not be sacred
from his intrusions.'
President Gompers insists that work
crS should be provided with information
and the education that will enable them
To take care OF themselves. MS To-
gcthcr with working conditions and sub
stantial wages 'wil. enable them to give
their information reality in directing
and managing their own lives
Trade organizations" he says, ARE
not unmndful of the health problem, in
fact, they have done more to secure con-
ditionS of sanitation i'll places of work
and to enable workers to have decent
hcalthful homes, than any other agency
AS the information of the workers in
creases, they give more thought to prob
lens of health and sanitation.
In connection with this you will find
of particular interest the work being
done by the garment workers of New
York City. Through the efforts OF their
organizations, the garment industry of
New York City has been organized and
standards of sanitation and health es-
g tabliShed and maintained. Already they
are beginning upon the problem of per-
Sonal health and personal hygiene. If
you will get some of the reports and
literature of the sanitary board of the
garment workers, you will see the posi-
bilties of efforts through economic or
CARNATIONS, In many international un-
ions there is established the systems of
social assurances in case of illness, un-
cmDlOyment and several other features