of the relation of lighting conditions | engaged in foundries are also notable. in industrial establishments to eye in- Standards of protection in manufacjuries and occupational diseases. turing establishments were raised also in Nebraska, Iowa, Maine and New Hampshire. The Illinois law, providing for special devices to protect employees engaged in peculiarly dangerous processes, is the first of its kind in America. This law requires all employers engaged in any work which subjects employees to any disease or illness peculiar to such work, to provide reasonable and approved preventive devices. In addition, employers engaged in processes involving the use of certain enumerated kinds of poisonous lead or paris green, or engaged in the manufacture of brass or the smelting of lead or zinc, must provide, without cost to the workmen, proper working clothes which employees must wear while at work; respirators must be provided and worn where noxious or poisonous dusts are present; and employees engaged in poisonous or injurious processes must be examined by a physician once each month. The physician must report the results of all such examinations to the State Board of Health, which then transmits the information to the State Department of Factory Inspection. Properly equipped dressing rooms with compartments for a change of clothing, lavatories with hot and cold water, soap, towels and shower baths, lunch rooms separate from rooms where dangerous processes are used, and closed receptacles for drinking water, must be maintained, and food or drink must not be taken into rooms where dangerous processes are carried on. Poisonous or injurious dust or fumes must be carried off; floors where dangerous processes are carried on must be kept smooth and hard, must be dampened before sweeping, and must be scrubbed once a day; the handling of ore, slag, dross or fume and other dangerous processes must be done wherever practical in a separate room, and such materials must be dampened before handling. Employers are liable for damages for any injury to the health of an employee proximately due to a wilful violation of the provisions of the act. The Pennsylvania and New Jersey laws for the protection of employees Strong measures for the protection of employees in the building trades were enacted in Oregon, Indiana and Nebraska and in a few other states. Both the Oregon and the Indiana laws provide that the use of protective devices be "limited only by the necessity for preserving the efficiency of the structure and with out regard to the additional cost of suitable material or safety appliance and devices." In connection with each of the three acts mentioned an employers' liability law modifies or takes away the main defences of the employer, making it more easy for the workman to recover damages in case of injury. MINES Frequent mine disasters, attended by great loss of life, have called attention within the last two years to the need for more stringent legal regulations for the comfort, health and safety of miners. This has led to the establishment of a number of state mining boards and of the federal Bureau of Mines. Within the past year, moreover, Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Montana and Pennsylvania have completely revised or codified their mining laws. The business of mining was regulated in ten other states with reference to fire-fighting equipment, telephone systems, ventilation, cages and hoisting apparatus, storage of explosives, and the housing and care of work animals. Many states increased the number, and enlarged the powers, of their inspection staff. In Illinois, a Mining Investigation Commission was created to study the methods and conditions of mining coal, with special reference to the safety of life and property and to the conservation of coal deposits. An annual appropriation of $4,500 was made for the study, in coöperation with the U. S. Bureau of Mines and the University of Illinois, of the coal- | was empowered to inquire into labor mining industry. An annual appro- disturbances with a view to their adpriation of $30,000 was provided for justment, and the Labor Commissionthe use of the Mine Rescue Station er of New Hampshire was directed to Commission in the equipment and attempt, upon request, the settlement maintenance of mine rescue cars and of labor disputes. Alabama has stations, and to cover expenses of created a State Board of Mediation lectures upon first aid and other tech- and Arbitration, but the Michigan nical subjects. A form of educational law of 1889 creating an arbitration work was established, to be known board was repealed. Massachusetts as the Illinois Miners' and Mechanics' has taken her lesson from England Institutes, with a view to the pre- and has made it legal for a union vention of accidents in coal mines and to impose fines upon its members. other industrial plants, to the promo- Four states-Colorado, Nevada, New tion of technical efficiency in persons York and Wisconsin-have endeavworking in and about mines, and to ored to prevent the breaking of the overcoming of mining difficulties. strikes through employees secured by false advertisements or representations, and in Colorado and Nevada : RAILROADS has a Fifteen states enacted laws designed any person so injured is given a cause of action for recovery of damages. for the protection of railroad em- Labor Contracts.-Colorado ployees against accident. The author-made illegal the type of labor conity and duties of railroad commis- tract which has been used by mine sions are in some way increased in nine states (see also XX, Public Ser-operators and others since the labor vices) six have passed legislation redisturbances of 1904 to prevent the lating to adequate train crews; six growth of trade unions. Employers have established a standard for the are now forbidden to demand as condition of employment any conconstruction of caboose cars; three tract or agreement, in writing or have required a certain amount of otherwise, that a person shall not experience or training for engineers, firemen, conductors, brakemen or sigbelong to any lawful organization nal men; two have passed general or society, or for him to prohibit legislation relating to air brakes, and or restrain an employee from exercistwo legislation providing for the safe- ing "his social, financial, fraternal or business rights" in connection with guarding of frogs and switches. Indiana authorized the Railroad Comsuch organization. "Any such conmission to appoint a locomotive-boiler condition" is made prima facie evitract, agreement or reservation or inspector, regulated the height of bridges, and strengthened its regulations in regard to automatic bell ringers and signal lights on switches. Oregon provided for sheds to protect employees on repair work. In Colorado and South Carolina the railroad commissions were given authority to make and enforce whatever rules they deem necessary to prevent accidents, and in Washington, to investigate all accidents and to supervise the establishment of a specific standard of safety appliances. TRADE DISPUTES dence of violation. Blacklisting. Several states have attempted to prevent blacklisting by letters stating the cause of dismissal, requiring employers to give explicit and Connecticut has carefully regulated the conduct of blacklisting agencies by providing that no person scribe to, belong to, or support any or association may "maintain, subbureau or agency conducted for the purpose of preserving and furnishing to any member thereof or to others information descriptive of the character, skill, acts, or affiliations of any person whereby his reputation, standing in a trade, or ability to secure employment, may be affected, unless a complete record of such information shall be open at all reasonable times to the inspection of the per Little direct legislation has been enacted during the past year upon the important subject of the settlement of strikes. The new Georgia Commissioner of Commerce and Labor labor of any state penal institution was prohibited after the expiration of existing contracts. A preferred market was established consisting of all manufacturable articles consumed son to whom such information relates, or his duly authorized agent or attorney." These records must be "reasonably clear and unambiguous," and must be open to the inspection of the Commissioner of the Bureau by the state and sub-divisions thereof Labor Statistics. The Wisconsin law, requiring the publication of contracts or agreements between employers and employees, which has long been urged by socialists and trade unionists, was finally enacted last year. PRISON LABOR The prison labor legislation of the past year shows definite tendencies toward the state's assumption of its responsibility for its own use of the prisoners on state lands, in state mines and as operatives in state factories. of. A Prison Labor Commission was created so to regulate the penal industries that the greatest amount consumable by this preferred market will be produced. It is to publish a list of all possible articles of manufacture and grant releases when articles cannot be supplied. Agricultural pursuits are to be given preference over all others and the products sold as above, except that the surplus products may be sold at advertised auction to the general public once in six months unless they are of perishable character and require more immediate sale. Counties and municipalities are to conform to the state plan, but may employ the prisoners for their own use. but this relief fund is limited to 5 per cent. of the value of all goods produced. The services of charitable societies may be used for making investigations of families. The estimates of added appropriations needed to carry this into effect are to be included in annual estimates. The commission reports to the governor. While no state legislated to give new powers of leasing or contracting for the labor of prisoners and, one only, Idaho, extended the field of Charitable institutions are allowed its present leases, 21 made some pro- to manufacture for their own use. vision for the state's assumption and Prisoners' families dependent on charoperation of industries; eight-Cali- ity are relieved by the Commissioner fornia, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, New of Charities at the rate of 50 cents Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio and for every day the prisoner works, Wyoming-provided in some manner for the state's consumption of the manufactured articles; and six-California, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, and Wyoming-established laws for the regulation of prices and standardization of commodities. The prisoner received compensation for labor in six states-Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Nevada, Rhode Island and Wyoming; his dependent family was given assistance in five-Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri and New Jersey; while Nevada gave him the right to choose between working on the roads or working indoors. Florida met the peonage issue by a provision for working off fines during imprisonment. The antagonism of organized labor to the distribution of the products of the convict's labor in the open market resulted in the passage in Montana, Oregon and California of laws requiring branding of convict-made goods. The New Jersey and Wyoming laws are especially complete. In New Jersey the sale in the open market of the products of convict UNEMPLOYMENT The establishment in New York of the first American industrial farm colony for tramps and vagrants marks an especially significant step. A woman investigator of domestic employment agencies was authorized in Illinois, and in seven other states laws were enacted relating to private agencies, regulating the granting of licenses, fees, the keeping of adequate records of employment secured, and providing other safeguards for the prevention of fraud. In five states public employment offices were established or extended. The commission which has been investigating employment agencies in Massachusetts is continuing its work. XVII. PREVENTION, CORRECTION, AND CHARITY HASTINGS H. HART velopment of state and municipal farms for the care of misdemeanant prisoners. The most significant events of the past year in the fields of prevention, correction and charity, seem to the writer to be the following: III. In the field of charity, the I. In the field of prevention, the organization of the National Associaextraordinary campaigns in New tion of Societies for Organizing York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and other large cities, for the prevention of infant mortality; the rapid development of the study of children and defectives in medical and psychological clinics; the execution of extraordinary programs of preventive legislation in California, and New Jersey, and the great Child Welfare Exhibits in New York, Chicago and Kansas City. II. In the field of correction, a vigorous movement for the establishment of reformatory prisons for women; the inauguration of an intelligent study of defective delinquents, with a view to the segregation of irresponsible prisoners from the general mass of convicts; the de CONFERENCES Charity; the passage of laws in Illinois and Missouri providing pensions for widows whose families would otherwise be compelled to be broken up; the substitution of "the Board of Control system" for "the local trustee system" in the state of Ohio; the South Dakota law prescribing fireproof construction and minimum air space and supply of air for ventilation in hospitals for the insane. The author is indebted to The Survey, The Review (a journal of penology) and The Institution Quarterly, and to the Secretary of the National Conference of Charities and Correction, for much of the information here recorded. PREVENTION The National Conference of Charities and Correction. The thirtyeighth session of the National Conference of Charities and Correction was held in Boston, June 7-14, 1911. The thirty-ninth Conference will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, June 12 to 19, 1912. State Conferences of Charities and Correction.-State conferences of charities and correction are held annually in the 29 states Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Penn sylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. There is also a Canadian Conference of Charities. Texas. The first Texas State Conference of Charities and Correction met at Houston, in Nov., 1910, under a call issued by the Child Welfare Conference which was held in Ft. Worth, Texas, in Nov., 1909. Child-Welfare Conferences.-Childwelfare conferences were held with the Child Welfare Exhibits in New York, Chicago, and Kansas City. Child-welfare conferences are being organized by the national and state congresses of mothers in different parts of the United States. These conferences deal with all the prob lems of child life, from eugenics to ence; Social Center Association of white hearses. Maryland.-A Children's Conference was held in Baltimore in Feb., 1911, in connection with the semicentennial of the Henry Watson Children's Aid Society. Ohio. The Western Reserve Conference on the Care of Neglected and Dependent Children was held in Cleveland Nov. 17-19, 1910. Fortyfive organizations took part and 41 exhibitions were made showing the work of the different organizations. The Conference resulted in an organization for cooperative work by the local organizations. Virginia.-A child-welfare conference was held at Richmond, Va., May 22-25, 1911. The conference brought together delegates from the principal cities of Virginia, and was notable for the high quality of its discussions, and especially for the active participation of the younger physicians of the state. Miscellaneous Conferences.-In addition to the national and state conferences of charities and correction there is a considerable number of conferences under different names, which deal with charity, correction, and prevention. Among these we mention: America. PREVENTIVE SOCIETIES Child Welfare-California. - The legislature of 1911 enacted a law providing that all child-placing agencies shall obtain permits from the State Board of Charities, and making it misdemeanor to place children or solicit funds therefor, without such a permit. A Juvenile Court Auxiliary has been organized in connection with the San Francisco Juvenile Court. Florida.-A State Children's Bureau has been established in Florida. This Bureau takes up every case in the state that pertains to children in any way, and not only acts as a clearing house, but provides the money so that the proper care can be given. Georgia.-The Children's Home Society of Georgia was organized in 1911 to care for homeless and neglected children, especially by the placing-out method. Idaho. The legislature of 1911 passed a law providing for the payment from county treasury of a lump sum of $25 to voluntary societies for each child committed by the court, and $10 per month for the temporary care of such children by the society until committed; providing also for the transfer of children from the State Industrial School to the Children's Home Finding and Aid Society for the purpose of placement in family homes, and giving the Society $100 for each child so placed. Maryland.-The Maryland Children's Aid Society has been organized to cover the entire state of Maryland. It is an expansion of the work of the Henry Watson Children's Aid Society of Baltimore. American Society of Municipal Improvements; American Society of Sanitary and Moral Prophylaxis; American Association of Workers for the Blind; American Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology; American Prison Association; Association for the Study and Prevention of Infant Mortality; Association of Medical Superintendents of Hospitals for Insane; Conference of Catholic Charities; Conference of Middle Western States Juvenile Court Judges and Officers; Conference on the Education of Dependent, Backward, Truant, Delinquent Children; Congress on Purity; Federated Boys' Clubs; Lehigh Valley (Penna.) Child-Helping Conference; National Association of Remedial Loan Associations; National Conference of Poor-Law Officials; National Municipal League; National Probation Officers' Association; New York Con- Colorado. The legislature of 1911 ference of Probation Officers; Saga- passed an act to regulate maternity more (Mass.) Sociological Confer- or lying-in hospitals. Washington.-A Juvenile Aid Association has been organized at Seattle for the protection of neglected and delinquent children. Infant Mortality.-Alabama.Birmingham has organized a Committee for the Prevention of Infant Mortality. |