Newspapers / Polk County News and … / Oct. 31, 1919, edition 1 / Page 7
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i . II il If 'VX ' TP rasa .. WILSON DECLARES mm ' ' - m .s? m ; m k-' mm - w :t h v m ,. mm m mm . y w h i i H , jo&.v? k II fi in n u i ii w l im mm fc. c'm. mm v.-W'.. x-. kjif - mm mm mm mm ii mm mm . ii , a . CTDIIfC IIMI AUfCIII u nihil umjivviUL t - H'V PRESIDENT. AND CABINET ARE . AGREED THAT STRIKE MUST, NOT BE PERMITTED. ' 'I' (Conducted by National Council of the ; ; Boy; Scouts of America.) . ' , 1- 1 -- i ' ii,. ir.rm' iriviirr T'f f''V n(iiT"iM;r.ar,iVrr y v ' v- . 1 X ..-.-.-y . .:.y. A .-.v.w. J.v. . .v. v. ...... . . . . U-S -B UREAU- O F-MTN.T.S C 4" pf I HE new laboratories of the inter lor department's bureau of mines at Pittsburgh, costing moro than a million dollars, were dedicated recently with appropriate cere monies in which the mining and metallurgical industries of the country took part. The program of three days was arranged by the bureau of mines In coopera tion with the Pittsburgh chamber of commerce. One of the biggest .features of these ceremonies was the nation-wide first-aid and mine-rescue con test held during the last two days. About 100 team? from the coal andjuetal mining companies throughout the country entered the lists. The last day there was a holiday for the miners of the Pittsburgh district and thousands witnessed the awarding, of the prizes to the winners. In addition to the usual prizes for these con tests, the Joseph A. Holmes Safety association, an organization created in 1916 In honor of the mem ory of the first director for the purpose of giving recognition to persons who had performed meri torious and heroic deeds In the saving of human -life in the mining and metallurgical Industry, or who had developed some safety appliance to fur ther the saving of life in those Industries, made its first awards. Dr. Van H. Manning, president of the association, announced the list of recipients of diplomas and medals and recited the deeds for which they were presented. The committee on awards had recommended that 12 gold medals be awarded, all for heroic deeds performed by miners in coal and metal mines in efforts to save the lives of fellow workmen. - ' Speaking of the accident conditions generally in the raining industries and of the outlook, Dr. Van H. Manning, director of the bureau of mines, says: "I am often asked, 'What has. the, bureau of : mines accomplished in saving. of human life in the mines?' It is difficult to say, as there are so many varying factors involved. . I. ever, that if you consider the prevailing average death rate in the mines for a period of years be fore the federal government took up this work and compare it with the average fatality rate since the bureau was created, you will find that 5,000 less miners have been killed. . In other, words, had the old fatality rate been maintained through the last few .years 5,000 more men would have lost their lives. It must also be remembered that the situa tion was gradually becoming worse, and who knows that there might not have been 7.000 or 8,000 lives lost? We also have to take into consid eration that, thanks to the many, improvements In life-saving methods and the greater understand-' Inw of the causes of accidents - this snvfno- nf 5,000 human beings will be increased as the years ron on until we can show several times 5,000 lives saved. . . , . "It is indeed a glorious record of human riroz- jess. Five thousand lives saved! Perhaps 2,000 less widows! At least, 3,000 children who still nave fathers. Take away all the other manifold duties of the bureau of mines and this one accom plishment is worthy of all its costs to the govern- wnu since its establishment and for vears to come. "f- ' f JC24mTiJmr "I do not mean that the bureau of mines de serves all the credit. It was, however, the agency nat picked up the isolated, sporadic efforts of a well- meaning men and companies and welded iiiio a great national movement for greater atety in the mines. It at once gained the co operation of the miners, the mine operators, the te mine inspectors and others, and without . , f the bureau of mines would have been almost "eipless. HT; 11 Was in 1911 thflt th hnfoan nnA im Pices a great national first-aid and mine-rescue et at Pitt.sbn m2' The s,ogan of that meet ws safety first' that was the time that the slogan, since inter anally famous, first became a national battle tor this humanitarian movement. Not only HS SafetV firt' immnAlntl-n L companies, but it was also taken up by n!anro''a and by Industrial plants of the wller ry Safety organizations appeared every foeen, etermlned campaigns were fought to re ijin vG nuraber of deaths and Injuries. In quite umber of mills and factories and railroads iuucnon in tne fatalities of mom i uU ner fpnf- r1,- i ' the original gains were made and added to. st how many thousands of lives were saved J never K w . .. - -. ,i - ' uc Known. Tnr mora pa nn etotlcf M adequately cover industrial accidents, but we ciatefow that bureau of mines and; its asso eilencles started a movement that not only 4 Itaho oughout thej entire United States, but Mth retl(,ed the other countries of the -world an equally good effect. And it all started !e70est mine safety meet we held In Pitts- "Sin 'n 1911. tVlMt rv, iV. . ' . ' I.. Provi oureau nas gone its way, s. Jp lts methods, Interesting the miner in his bat'it and that of his fellow man; doing "ines thC0,mi t0 P0int out to tfle owners of the dngerous places that could be avoided w ? recommendations as the result of Its looking toward still greater safety. I mininrr , "ureau Of mines maintains in every Wei of the country a mine rescue car. fully . l'e(I n itl, , i .. w.J modern life-savlnc aDDaratus. tnat I'U flc x . "- urk- In disasters and assists in the rescue the fihd gives the miners training in both hUtw and first aW to the injured. As a re- cou 6 -everal thousand miners throughout; ntIy who are expert In the use of the oxy gen mine rescue appara tus and who are familiar with the most modern methods of life '.saving. Besides, more than 50, 000 miners understand first-aid-tp - the - injured work as well as a regular hospital corps. All of thet$ men have beeA trained by the bureau of mines. "Happily, great mine disasters have been be coming fewer and fewer as the men come to a bet ter understanding of the causes. Nevertheless they do happen, and one thing that the bureau has preached is that upon such a visitation there shall be a more orderly and systematic method of rescue work, for it has been demonstrated that life can be : saved a in devious ways. The bureau has en deavored to tell the miners that in a great catas trophe it is often better for entombed miners to barricade themselves in, keeping the poisonous gases out of their working place ad waiting for relief. In this manner 42 men entnbed in a mine for four days were recently rescued, the men even being able to walk out of the mine. - 7 "We are not content to rest on the progress made. There are now more than a million miners In th'e United States, and each , year more than 3,000 are killed in accidents and a quarter of a million injured. Taking the cold, business calcu lation of the state compensation commissions and eliminating the suffering and sorrow of 3,000 killed each year, the economic loss from these fatalities alone is $12,000,000 a year, for these commissions are paying an average of $4,000 for every life lost This is a terrible toll for one industry to pay each year. It is hard for us to realize that out of every mining camp of 1,000 men, three of them are sure to lose their lives within 12 months. "Mining will always be an extra hazardous business. But the question is, 'Have we reached the Irreducible minimum?' No, I think not. It is my belief that we can cut down the present fatal ity rates full one-half; that we can save each 1,500 of the 3,000 killed. "The causes of these fatal accidents are much better known. Operators and miners are giving much more thought to the dangers of the mines, and the wide-awake among them have installed more modern safety devices. Through the ex perimental, mine of the bureau mining men and miners both have a keener understanding of the dangers of coal dust and have learned how to com bat them. ' "In the mining Industry a human life is much more valuable than ever before, and I believe that can be said of all the Industries. This is seen in the great advances in safety work, the millions of dollars spent in safety devices and the humani tarian work of the different state compensation commissions. The day of the ambulance chaser and those ghouls that preyed upon the widow be set with grief over the loss of her husband have happily passed away. The state now steps In and sees that' the widow and the orphan are protected, - and that alone is worth all the-fight that we have endeavored to make. I do not say that the bureau of mines is-; responsible for these state compensa tions, but I do know that these commissions came after the mining industry started its great human saving drive and that the disclosures of the condi tions in mining furnished the states with, facts that favored the establishment of these commis sions. ., "Cut the mine fatalities in half." ' The dedication ceremonies brought to Pitts burgh for the three days the most prominent min ing and metallurgical men of the nation, not alone those interested in the safety-first movement, but also those connected with the allied industries that use the products of the mines. The bureau of mines, Jn co-operation with the Pittsburgh chamber of commerce, arranged an elaborate program of events calling for the pres ence of high government and state government officials besides the leading men of mining through! in the country. The first morning thehew labora tories at 4800 Forbes street were dedicated. Dr. Van H. Manning, director of the fcureau, presiding. After invocation by Dr.- S, ' B. McCormick, chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh, there was an address of welcome by V. Babcock, mayor of Pitts burgh. Responses were made by Franklin K. Lane, secretary of the interior; Horace B. Winchell, 'president of the American In stitute of Mining land Electrical Engineers ; John L. Lewis, acting president of the United Mine Workers of America, and Wil liam C. Sproul, governor of Pennsylvania. The formal cere mony of handing over the keys of the building by Secretary Lane to Director Manning followed. After luncheon at the bureau of mines buildings the guests boarded special trains to the experi mental mine .of the bureau of mines at Bruceton, Pa, 14 miles from Pittsburgh. Upon arrival there a prearranged explosion of coal dust took place in the experimental mine as a demonstration to the visitors, and after that" there was an inspection of the mine and the explosives-testing plant, the guests returning to the city at 6 o'clock In the eve ning. At 8 o'clock there was a general meeting at Carnegie Music hall under the auspices of the Pittsburgh chamber of commerce," with, an ad dress by Secretary Lane and an organ recital by Dr. Charles Helnroth. A moving picture pre pared by the National Coal association, "The Story of Coal," was given a first presentation. The second day the new laboratories were open for inspection by the guests the entire day, and at 2 o'clock the elimination contests in the National Safety First-Aid and Mine-Rescue meet were held at ' Forbes field ; also the awarding of the state championships. At 5 o'clock, at Fobes field, there was a demonstration of the ' explosibility of coal dust and at 8 o'clock the chamber- of , commerce presented a .pageant typifying the spirit of the mining industry, with music by the band of the Carnegie Institute of Technology. The third day at 9 a. m. there was a final mine rescue contest by the ten successful teams of the previous day at Forbes field, with a presentation of the national cups and prizes. At 2 p. m. an nouncement of the J. A. Holmes Safety association was made by Dr. Van H. Manning. At 2 :30 o'clock the final first-aid contest, participated in by the 20 best teams of the previous day, was Jheld. At 5 o'clock there was a demonstration of a coal-dust explosion at Forbes field, the events closing with a smoker at the chamber of commerce in which prizes were awarded and speeches made. The honorary committee in chWge of the dedica tion of the Pittsburgh station included: George S. Oliver, president Pittsburgh chamber of com merce; John F. Herron, president city council of Pittsburgh ; Harry N. Taylor, president National Coal Operators' association; John L. Lewis, acting president United Mine Workers of America ; Hor ace B. Winchell, president American Institute of Mining and Electrical Engineers; Franklin K. Lane, secretary of the interior; Dr. Van H. Man ning, director bureau of mines ; Dr. S. B. McCor mick, chancellor University of Pittsburgh; Dr. Arthur A. Hammerschlag, president Carnegie In stitute of Technology ; Dr. S. W. Stratton, director bureau of standards; Dr. R. Fi Bacon, director Mellon institute; Seward E. Button, chief depart ment of mines, state of Pennsylvania; Dr. D. Van . Schaack, president of the National Safety council; T. A. O'Donnel, president 'American Petroleum in stitute; Mortimer E. Cooley, president American Society of Mechanical Engineers; Fayette S. Cur tis, president American society of Civil Engineers ; J. A. Capp, president American Society of Testing Materials ; Dr. William H. Nichols, president American Chemical society ; Calvert Townley, president American Society Electrical Engineers; G. H. Neilson, president Engineers' Society of Western Pennsylvania; Dr. W. D. Bancroft, presi dent American Electro-Chemical society ; R. ' T. Stull, president American Ceramics' society; E. N. Zern, president Coal Mining Institute of America; James A. Angell, , chairman National Research council. SCOUTS SHOW UP HUN WORK The black walnut census which the Boy Scouts of America made for the government during the war, and which resulted in their locating 20,000,000 feet of the valuable timhpr ww could be converted into airplane pro pellers and gunstocks, disclosed the alarming fact that the tracts of for est populated with these trees In years gone by are now, no more.' When the emergency arose.the forest service was compelled' to report that there were no known tracts of this particular tim ber. , Investigation showed that as far back as 20 years ago, and again 10 years ago, German agents toured through the country, found these tracts and paid what, at that time were con sidered fabulous prices for the lumber. Little did the farmers ind land owners dream that some of these very trees would be uv.ed as the stocks of German guns to be pointed 'by. the thousand at our American and allied soldiers. ; i True to their slogan of preparedness. however the army of boy scouts who took part in the recent census for the government, planted black' walnut as they went along on their work, five for each tree cut down, so as to . insure against any such dearth in the future. They gathered as many of the nuts as they possibly could, and along, the fences and roads and in tite hollows (selecting low, moist ground), they placed the seed, breaking the hull with their heel, but not removing it, and then dropping it- into a hole, which they covered level with the rest of the ground. . . . A MATTER FOR QUICK ACT10R VVell Being, Comfort and Very Life of All XL . n t .. a r mii i rif? Knni ix rA if ir w rM ... cerned in Impending Strike. SCOUT PROVES HIMSELF A HERO. Denton McBean, a twelve-year-old Spokane boy scout, is the heroof his troopmates. Because of the quick action of the young scout, Raymond Rice, returned war hero and uncle of the boy, is alive now, instead of drowned in the waters of Twin lakes. Hero of battles on the Frnech front, wearer of the distinguished service cross for unusual bravery, and a wound stripe,' Rice became exhausted while swimming in the waters of the lake. Superior Judge R. M. Webster, an eye-witness to the heroic rescue, told the story: " . "Denton heard the cry from the beach that a man . was drowning. Without removing his clothing he sprang from his cot and dashed to the end of the - pier and plunged into the water. Rice had already gone down twice when the lad came up to him. There was no hesitancy on the part of Denton, who seized the drowning man by the clothing at the back of his neck and tegan to tow him Joward tne snore, once Klce. ln his delirium, seized a young woman near him and would have carried her under, but Denton quickly struck him on the wrist and ordered him to free the girl. MIt was the coolest and most thor ough rescue of a drowning man I havV ever witnessed." : Hdme Helpfulness. "I am tempted," said Mr. Meekton, to give Henrietta a moving picture machine for Christ mas."... , : . - - "Is she to lecture?" ' , ''Not In public. But I had an Idea that maybe some of those long talks she- has given me would be more interesting if they were Illustrated." SCOUT SAVES LIFE OF FRIEND. An Ogden (Utah) boy has recently given a practical demonstration of boy scout first aid in saving the life of a companion, wno naa ranen from a horse, and cut himself severely on a bottle, severing an artery. The scout immediately put into prac tice his scout knowledge of first aid, making a tourniquet to stop the seri ous blood flow until the injured lad could get medical aid. Dr. E. Rich, who was summoned to the lad, declared that in all probability the scout saved the injured boy's life, and complimented him on the able manner in which he had rendered first aid. SCOUT TROOP ALL RED-HEADED. As to rmusual scout organizations, there's one being formed in Kansas City by Carl Pickwell, who will admit only red-headed boys. He has already recruited eight "red dies" and is sure that the remainder of the required 32 will be tenderfoots before the passing of another moon. No, he hasn't specified any particu lar shade of red! auburn, chestnut, henna, bright red, dark red, red to scare a bull any red so long, as the dome that tops the applicant's anat omy is of a scarlet hue. Won't It be some troop? WHAT SCOUTS LEARN IN WOODS, Twenty-two Tacoma boy scouts. ranking In especial merit after a year's program, camped at Longmire Springs; Rainier National park, where they learned the dual arts of camp-keeping and forest conservation. They were-learning to be real Amer icans, those scouts, and becoming mas ters of the woods and forests.' , Tramping from TO to 20 miles each day, they became familiar with the trees and animals and the climate con ditions of the Western woods. Washington. Holding ' the impend ing coal strike, to be not only unjusti fiable, hut also unlawful, "President Wilson, in a statement issued with the support of his entire cabinet, call ed on the coal miners of the nation. . Dotn union officers and - members, to rescind the strike order effective No- vember .l. . , ' The President declined to enter into wiie merits of the 'controversy but em phatically declared that the strike, which he characterized as the most far-reaching proposal in the natloh'a history, to restrict production and dis tribution of all necessaries of life, had apparently been ordered without a vote of the individual miners concern-' ed. For this reason, the President served definite notice "that the law will be enforced and the means will be 4found to protect the interests o the nation in any emergency that ma arise out of this unhappy business.' The President's statement follows r a "On September 23, 1919, the con vention of the United Mine Workers of America at Cleveland, Ohio 'adopt ed a proposal declaring that air con tracts in the bituminous field shall bo declared as having automatically ex pired November 1, 1919, and making: various demands, including a 60 per cent increase in wages and the adop tion of a six-hour work day and a five day week, and providing that, in tho event a satisfactory wage agreement should not be secured for the central competitive field before. November, 1919, the national officials should be authorized and instructed to call " a general strike of aUbituminous min ers and mine workers throughout the' United States, effective November W 1919. "Pursuant to these instructions, the officers of the organization have is sued a call to make the strike effee-,, tive November 1. This is one of thier . gravest steps ever proposed in this country, 'affecting the economic wel fare and the domestic comfort an1 health of the people. It is proposed to abrogate an agreement as to wages which was made with the sanctiors oV. the Uriited States fuel administratlbn, and which was to run during the con--tinuance of the war,' but not beyond' April 1, 1920. Would Affect All Interests. ; AH interests would be affected" .... B.xi&e uy a siruce oi xnis cnaracteiv and its victims would be not the rfchv only, but the poor and the needy as? well -those least ' able to provide in advance a fuel supply for domestic ie. It would Involve the shutting down of countless industries, and the throwing out of employment of a large' number of the workers of the coun try - It would involve stopping the" operation of railroads, electric light g&s plants, street railway lines and other public utilities. From whatever angle th-a subject may be viewed, it is apparent t1at such a strike in such circumstances would be the most far-reaching plan ever presented in this country to lim it the, fascilities of production , and" distribution of a necessity of lifev and thus indirectly to restrict the production and distribution of all the necessaries of life.' A strike under these circumstances is not only unjus tifiable. It is unlawful. "The action proposed has apparent ly been taken without any vote upon the specific proposition by the individ ual members of the United Mine Workers of America throughout the United States, an almost unprece dented proceeding. I feel convinced that individual members of the Unit- ea. Mine worKers wouia not rote. : upon , full consideration, in favor of such a strike under these conditions. "When a movement reaches a point where it appears to involve practically the entire productive capacity y of the y country with respect to one' of the most vital necessities of daily domes tic and industrial lifey the public in- ' terest becomes the paramount consid eration. Time for Plain Talk. ' ft is time for plain speaking. These matters with which we now deal touch ; . not only the welfare of a class, but vitally concern , the well being, the comfort and the very life of all the people. I feel it is my. duty, in. the public interest, to declare that any attempt to carry out the purpose of this strike, and thus to paralyze the industry of the country, with the con- sequent suffering and distress of all our people, mus t be considered - a grave moral and legal wrong 'against . the . government and the people of the Unked States. I-cai. do nothing lew than to say the law will be enforced, and the means will be found - to pro tect the interests of the nation in any ' emergency , that may arise out of this unhappy business. (Signed) WOODROW WILSON".. J V
Polk County News and The Tryon Bee (Tryon, N.C.)
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Oct. 31, 1919, edition 1
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