The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-10-06
Compulsory Physical Examlna-
ton to Aid Efficiency.
IMvADEs PERSONAL LIFE
Wedding Out of Men Not Perfect Bod
lily Would Put an Added Strain on
Those Who Passed the Test--idea In
tolerable From the Humane stand-s
point.
BY JOHN p. WHITE,
President United Mine Workers.

any other class Of citizens, involves an |
with the personal life OF !
the individual so serious that it should
be undertaken only on the assurance
that the public welfare demands 1t and
that the results are worth the sacrifice
of that personal sanctity which our In.
situations have thrown about the indi
vidual.
This, in my Judgment, Is another way
Of saying that the state, not the EN-
ployer, should undertake such exam
nation, assuming always that pubic
policy demands compulsory examina'
ton at ALL am not prepared to admit
even this.
Compulsory physical examination Ia
being urged only for wage earners.
The reason is not far to seek. For the
disinterested physician or scientist 1t Is
short cut to remedying a condition
which is due to the fact that wages are
too low to permit wage earners, as
class, to spare the means for doing
what otherwise they would voluntarily
do and without prompting from any
authority-that Is, to consult tne physi-
clan as frequently as necessary.
If we are to assume that insufficient
wages and the ignorance and helpless
ness attendant on low wages are to re-
main with us always, then we could
proceed with program Of paternalism
and justify it. The fear Of organized
labor and lovers of human freedom
generally is that low wages will be-
come so buttressed by remedial meas.
ures of this sort that the public con-
science will be dulled into an accept
ance Of low wages as permanent In
stitution.
OF course in some occupations, such
rs that Of locomotive engineer, certain
physical tests are SO necessary on the
ground Of public safety that no ob1ec-
ton can be raised. But with industry
organized for private profit the wedding
out of men not physically perfect by
physical examination means only that
those who pass the test will be sub
jected to greater strain than previous
". The late Professor Hoxie of Chi
cago university, after conducting
thorough investigation Of scientific
management, expressed the opinion
that the greatest danger now threaten
ing the American wage Garner Is the
speeding up Of industry and the conse-
auent physical strain imposed upon the
worker.
II Professor Hoxie and other econo
mists and students of industrial prop
lens are correct, as believe they are
then we must regard the entrance OF a
number of physically unfit men into in
dustry as a blessing If it serves TO
cheek the tendency toward more speed
and greater strain.
AS modern industries are organized
today, the rejection Of unfit men means
not the protection of those who are ac-
cepted. but license to increase the strain
upon them so that eventually they' TOO
or their descendants, will be added 10
the class Of the unfit.
'AThey will scrap the whole human
race If they keep on said Andrew
Furuseth in referring to the increase IN
efficiency devices, so called. We are IN
great danger of losing entirely the hu-
man equation In industry and with 1t
the freedom Of the individual. This Is
not only inhuman and intolerable from
a humane standpoint, but 1t Is not en-
Gent Human nature is too complex to
measure men with yardstick. Some OF
the greatest inventors and mechanics
not to mention statesmen and even SOL
diers. have been men who could never
have passed the rigid physical tests
imposed by some of our modern indus
trial corporations whose managers nave
gone mad over efficiency.
If physical examination OF all per-
sons is demanded on the broad ground
Of social welfare then let 1t be admin
istered by the state.
Better still, let our scientists anu
wise men cease regarding the great
mass of workers as densely ignorant
and hopeless wards, over whom thev
must watch and care. Let them IN
stead Join with organized labor in de
manding fair wage and then, take
nv word for it. the very men for whom
thew are now so solicitous will be
found taking the best care OF them
selves.
It is certainly putting the cart before
the horse to demand the wedding out
Of all save the physically perfect while
at the same time we permit low wages
and poverty to continue to make phys
zeal fitness difficult or impossible to
achieve.
Many Kentucky coal operators nave
signed agreements with their workers.
Following the settlement of the strike
at Leadville, many of the larger min
ing companies have resumed work OH q
normal basis.
"A substantial increase In wages has
been asked by the United Mine Work
ers of America in the districts OF II
linois, Ohio, western Pennsylvania and
Indiana.
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