Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-18

preventable loss, according to life in.
surance companies, Is direct money
wastage OF 81 800 900, 900 a year.
Aside from sickness, the loss through
accidents, not counting the $4,000 fatal
accidents, cost 296, zoo, 900 days OF idle.
ness and suffering. Yet employers
spend millions of dollars in compen.
sations and in preventive measures
In one state--WiSconsin-th expense
amounts to SO per cent of the pay rolls.
In the whole United States, it totals.
annually, more than billion dollars.
MOST accidents are rated preventabile
In New York State, in four years
there were more fatal accidents in
building trades than in all factories.
although there are four times as MANY
employed in manufacturing as in the
building work. About $50 900 900 is
PAID yearly to insurance companies to
cover their accident liability, and an
insurance authority Of high standing
estimates that this loss could be re.
ouoed 20 per cent in Ave years, by
earnest and scientific measures toward
safety.
1t is incorrect to apply all the labor
losses 10 strikes. In a recent speech,
secretary OF Labor Davis said that in
zS years total of 2O7,414,OOO days
were lost in coal fields through strikes
out at the same time 1882 $40, 900 DAYS
were also lost through other causes
sickness, turnover and lack of market
demand.
1t formerly required 700 skilled
glass blowers to make the 5.gallon
glass carboys required in the United
States; an expert could make 200 in a
day. Now one machine-just one
makes S,oO0 every "a hours and sup
plies all American needs.
The day of unskilled labor is past.
but health authorities declare that
change of occupation prolongs life, and
when ambitious men are dismissed be-
cause Of invention, they may often
count 1t blessing adding to life and
eventual happiness-if they show
pluck and adaptation.
1t is commended that the demand for
'luxuries" SO increases with good
wages and steady employment that
that IL the solution of the chronic
"overproduction," in many industries.
president Coolidge, in a message to
Congress last Winter, said:
I'm industry, conditions and wages
nave improved. There Is no more
twelve.hour day for the workingman.
Skilled labor Is we'll compensated, but
there are unfortunately a multitude
OF workers who have not yet come to
share In the general prosperity of the
Nation. Both the public authorities
ana private enterprises should be sole.
ltous TO advance the welfare of this
class"
It IL this class Of unframed men and
women who suffer Immediately from
the introduction Of labor.saving ma
chinery, as instanced in the case of
the introduction of the Combine har-
vester and thresher," which has su.
perseded 100000 harvest hands in
Kansas alone. And the cotton sled for
picking cotton will replace nine.tenths
Of the hand cotton pickers. A new
machine to make cigars does as much
work as IL makers by hand. Perhaps
1t will materialize the witty wish Of
the late Vice President Marshall, who
said that what this country needs
most 10 q good five-cent cigar. II that
comes, more people will smoke the
cigar, making more demand for 1t, so
that the IL ousted cigar makers will
return to the job, and with the aid
OF the machine will earn more than
ever. The same experience was met
by printers when typesetting machines
were invented. Today linotype setter
earns more than treble what the old
hand typesetter earned.
\ X
Prosperity through good wages is
quickly distributed. The Department
OF Labor has demonstrated this by an
actual QUESTIONABLE as to how often
the various classes Of wage earners
buy overcoats.
It was discovered that men who earn
less than $1,000 q year make their
overcoats last 10 years; with a salary
Of $1,000 a year, they get new over
coat every years; with $4,000 a
year, they ind that their overcoats last
only an average Of two winters. Thus
by increasing wages ~ times the
demand on textiles increases 10
times--i. O., q thousand per cent.
.lcouys,sAs. 1877. ID r.ul '. ce,l,zs.,