New-York tribune., 1919-01-15
DIR. Coleman Sees
Menace TO Health
In Copeland Rule
Removal of DR.. Harris and
Ignoring Of Advisory
Com mitfee Cited as
Deplorable Errors

Dr.. Warren S. Coleman, chairman
under several administrations of the
Board of Hralth's Advisory Committee
on Preventable Diseases, condemned
yesterday the recent action of Health
Commissioner Copeland in removing
the Division Of Industrial Hygiene
from the control Of DR.. Louis I. Harris,
head of the Bureau of Preventable
Diseases.
Dr. Coleman also made known that
DR.. Copeland is the first Commissioner r
since the bureau was established to
jgnorc its advisory committee.
When Dr. Amster, the last Health
Commissioner, took Office" Dt. Cole
man said, che made 2 formal request
Of the committee to continue its work,
but we have heard no word from the
present administrations and the feeling
OF the c3Iinlittee is tha. we have been
tacitly dismissed.
However, I cannot help but COM
ment on how extremely unfortunate s
any interference with the workings of
the Health Department, which has
long been source of pride to New
York and a model to olher cities Citi-
zens have been accustomed to a change
of commissioners with each new ad-
ministration but never before has
any Mayors appointee tampered with
the departments machinery. The mo-
tive of such action must be very
strange and is absolutely not under
standable to the committee Of which
l am chairman.
"if, as DR.. Copeland says, the pur-
pose in his mind is an enlargement of
effort along the line of industrial
hygiene, DR.. Harris should he the man
to head the enlargement, because he
is thoroughly conversant with the work
and virtually has fathered it here
How ommissioner Copeland expects
to employ forty or fifty experts with
$4,000 for an appropriation. is
mystery. Experts must be getting
cheap.
az is needless to say the depart
ment was seriously crippled by the at
tack on DR.. Brown last spring and the
Bolduan's resignation Now the at
tack is centred on branch of work
which is probably more fundamentally
vital and more closely related to pub
lie welfare than any ether which the
Board of Health essays"
Concerted action on the part of the
clty's labor organizations was predicted
Yesterday by Miss Maud Swartz, of the
Womcn's Trade Union League, who
said circular letter had arrived from
DR.. Copeland to protesting labor lead
ers. declaring the interests Of labor
and the good OF the Health Department
had been the cause of Dr. Harris's
"reiiet from RESP onsibility."
"The effors to have Dr.. IIarris's
power restored" said Miss Swartz,
''wil. b. continued"
The following letter calling a mass
meeting TO voice labor's protest against
Commissioner Copoland's action was
sent out yesterday by the Central Fed
Grated Union:
"To all affiliated unions: At the
last meeting of the Central Federated
Union of greater New York and viciu
ity the conspiracy hatched by the pres
ent ministration TO remove the di-
vision of industrial hygiene from the
bureau OF preventable diseases and
from the direction of pr Louis l. Har-
ris was exposed. Thi body unanimous
~ determined to protest to the Mayor
and to the Commissioner of Health
against this and to carry or an active
to protect the division from
dangerous interference and to ask that
the work in industrial hygiene for the
protection Of workers in factories and
shops be continued under DR.. Louis !.
Harris, who has proved his exceptional
efficiency, expert skill and deep sym
pathy in carrying on the work in our
interests. This is the fight OF organ
ized labor.
Write your most emphatic protest
to the Mayor and to the Commissioner
Of Health against interference with
DR.. Harris's work on behalf ot the
workers.
I'm this connection your attention is
called to The mass meeting called by
labor to rouse the workers in defence
81 tneir rights 20 health protection at
" ashington Irving High School, Six
,rcnth Street and Irving Place, Janu-
nry - at p. m. Frank r. Walsh will
lead in the discussion. Every member
should attend Fraternally yours,
ERNEST BONN,
Corresponding Secretary"