The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-01-25

said, in his memorable Cancellation
speech in the House of Commons, a
| speech that lashed the English gov
eminent, 81 do not know the method
of drawing up an indictment against
whole people," Undoubtedly Burke
was right, and it is not my purpose
at this distant date to raise an issue
with a statement which has been
quoted by debaters and parliament
tarians many thousands of times
since it was uttered. Yet, if we
stop to reflect upon our habits and
customs as people, we shall feel
inclined to indict ourselves for the
lack of safety measures and safety
habits in all walks of society, not
limited to the shop, factory, mill,
mine or railroad.
MOttOes-PrO and Con.
Long before we devised such mot
toes as safety First, :" watch Your
STEP" Look Out" "Be Careful" we
had others. One said, 81 dare you"
Another said, "You dassn't," and the
third was, "Scare cat!' Boys and
girls alike reveled in those joyous
declarations of Spartan vigor and
courage, and our children today
shout with avidity these noisy ex-
carnations of bravado. The boy who
was afraid of being hurt rarely ever
secured a creditable mark in his
class. 1t seems that a certain mea-
sure of boasting, endurance, physical
courage and fear of pain, is part
of our national heroics, and that the
boy who is afraid of being hurt rare
ly gets anywhere. Temperamentally
we scorn those who do not dare to
do. At every step in our campaign
for safety habits and safety laws,
we, the workers, have had this dis
dain of danger to contend with. The
foreman and superintendent of
shops and factories have no regard
for the worker who is timid who
will not take chance" especially
when rush job is on.
Praise for the Daring.
AS people, we cheer loudest for
the toughest football player, the
slickest base stealer, the most reck-
less diver; we applaud most the dar-
ing acrobat in vaudeville or the cir
Gus, and the structural iron worker
who seems most Indifferent to haz-
ard and accident while working on
the dizzy heights of a modern sky
scraper appeals to our afflicted fancy
as superman.
Proposed Remedies.
What more shall we do for safety
and not become enervated or effem-
mate? That is the question fol
such conferences as these. We have
fortunately reached the time when
employers and employed, official and
layman are all agreed that Safety
First is best. We know that it costs
money to take unnecessary risks
that accidents curtail production
cause nervous apprehension, some
times resentment, always pain, and
that in general, useless sacrifice with
in the families of those not included
among the first or second parties
comes from recklessness, either in
dividual or social.
There is nothing praiseworthy
about industrial accidents; no one
enjoys referring to them. We have
done much to reduce their frequency
Let us do more by observing the fol-
lowing simple recipes:
l. Increase the age for child work
ers.
2. Shorten the working hours.
3. Hold regular conferences in
shop offices composed of supervisors
and workmen for the purpose of dis
cussing shop affairs from stand
point of safety. This method has
proved remarkably successful in
some of the largest establishments
in the country.
A. Post Davy Crockett's slogan on
the bulletin board, "Be sure you are
right, then go ahead"
5. Ask public school teachers to
give lessons on Safety"
6. Request pastors to call atten.
ton to the subject from their pull
pits.
7. Encourage moving picture pro-
ducers to feature as many safety
ideas as possible. They now incite
to recklessness, danger and bodily
injury.
8. Another good old slogan: "Bet-
ter be safe than sorry" (Observa-
ton of that motto saved my life
more than once.)
9. More factory inspectors, and a
better selection. To pick up any man