Evening star., 1941-04-29
Labor Safety
Board Backed
By House Unit
Deaths on Building
Work Here in Two
Years Put at 1876

The Public Health Subcommittee
Of the House District Committee
TODAY ordered a favorable report on
bill providing for creation OF an
accident prevention board after
being told there were a total OF
1892 accidents and 1876 deaths on
construction projects here in the last
two years.
Willy Arnheim, financial secretary
and business representative OF the
Road, Highway and Heavy Con-
struCtion LaborerS' Union, Local 456,
testified at a public hearing which
Immediately preceded the Subcrm-
mittee's action that there were 26.647
accidents and 60 fatalities on con-
struction work in Washington in 1899
and 31.265 accidents and rs deaths
last year.
7 represent union whose mem
hers are involved in more accidents
than any other type of work, Mr.
Arnheim declared in urging approval
of the bill.
Others Join in Plea.
He was Joined in his plea by John
Locher. president of the Central
Labor Union and c. F. Preller, presi-
dent of the Building Trades Council
of that organization.
Mr.. LOCher said the proposed legiS-
lation has the unanimous indorSe-
ment of the c. L. U. which has a
membership of 10000 in the Met
ropoltan Area of Washington. Then
he added:
The figures cited by Mr.. Arnhelm
are very discouraging to US
Would Have Three Members.
The proposed accident prevention
board would be composed OF three
members appointed by the Commls-
sionerS. It's duties as outlined in
the bill would be to foster, promote
and develop the welfare of the wage
earnerS Of the District Of Columbia
in relation to their working condi-
tionS" and enforce such safety laws
as now exist.
Both Mr.. Arnheim and Mr.. Locher
pointed out the only safety laws now
in existence on construction prof.
eCts are those the unions have writ
ten into their own rules, and sug-
gested an amendment to the bill that
would give the proposed board the
authority to make safety regulations
as well as to enforce them.
Mr.. Locher, in flaShbaCk to the
construction of the new Interior De-
partment Building, said conditions
became so bad that the Police De-
nartment had scout cars stationed IN
vicinity of the project and that an
ambulance had beaten path from
the building to Emergency Hospital" "
Welfare Bill Approved.
The subcommittee also ordered a
favorable report on bill giving the
Board of Public Welfare increased
authority to provide aid to depend
ent children and bring the local child
aid law into conformity with ma
tional social security laws.
Action was deferred, however, on
two other bills considered by the
subcommittee. One would prohibit
eApbl llIltilIS vi .llN1lIS LOSH. 4 III
other would direct the barber eX-
amining board to conduct a refer
endum among licensed BARRIERS to
find out what opening and closing
hours they preferred each day and
what day of the week all barber
shops should remain closed.
A score of prominent Washing
ton physicians and medical author
ities connected with Federal agen-
cies appeared before the Subcom-
mittee to protest against the anti
vivisection bill. No one appeared to
indorSe the measure.
Experiments on living dogs. the
subcommittee was told, are not only
essential to the continued progress
of science, but more particularly at
this time to national defense. The
animals, it was brought out, play an
important part III determining
whether chemical gases used in
warfare are toxic Or nOn-toXlc and
the effect sudden changes in alti-
aircraft pilots,
DR.. Frederick F. FishbaCk of the
District Medical Society testified
the organization was opposed to the
bill, and then introduced a dozen or
more witnesses who likewise regis
tered strong objections to its ap-
prevail One of them, 1t. Col. M. E.
Barker of the Chemical Warfare
Service. declared enactment of the
proposed legislation would stop all
developments of gas masks.
Other witnesses opposing the bill
to prohibit experiments on living
dogs include DR.. Joseph S. Wall OF
the District Medical Society, Dr.
Daniel L. Seckinger, assistant Dis
trict health officer: DR.. K. R. Lun-
divg of the division of medicine OF
the Office of the Surgeon General;
DR.. BENJAMIN F. Jones of the United
States Public Health Service, DR.. H.
W. Schooling of the Federal Bureau
of Animal Industry, DR. A. E. Wight
of the National Institute of Health,
DR.. George B. Roth of the George
town University Medical School, DR..
NJ. R. Smith of the National InStl-
tute of Health and Dr.. Sanford D.
Larkin of the National Research
Council.
Minister Opposes Barber Bill.
The Rev. G. S. LOngaCre, general
secretary of the Religious Liberty
Association of America, registered
opposition to the barber referendum
bill. He pointed out that majority
of licensed BARRIERS undoubtedly
would vote Sunday as the uniform
closing day for barber shops, even
though there may be some who for
religious reasons would rather nave
the shops closed on another day.
Conscience will compel some to
observe one day he declared, "and
the law another day. AS a result
some of the shops would be closed
two days a week"
Charles BoveFo. former president
of BARRIERS Union, Local 239, and
Harry Wheeler. secretary treasurer