FEARS ANY STEP BACKWARD.

One of the most intrepid opponents of the rumored change is Miss Lillian Wald, of the Henry Street settlement. She said that social workers and all those concerned in the safety of the people of New York considered that the attempt to undo the work of the societies that fought so hard to bring about the adoption of the match ordinance was a "hideous step backward."

"It looks," she said last night, "as though the municipal explosives commission had shifted the responsibility upon the board of aldermen in putting into the regulation the clause which puts it up to the aldermen to repeal or amend the sections. The people ought to make the aldermen understand that they are not to be concerned with the commercial advantages of a match trust or with any small dealers throughout the city, but that they are concerned with the health and safety of the men, women, and children who use these terrible, poisonous matches.

"The social workers everywhere," she continued, "can demonstrate to the aldermen the dangers arising from these matches. Tenement house fires are caused by them every day. It does seem as though political pressure was being brought to bear upon the municipal explosives commission and the board of aldermen by these big match makers. What does it matter if the little dealers are stocked up with quantities of matches sold at reduced prices? We ought not to hesitate to proceed against them just as readily as we would proceed against the match trust."

Mr. Stettinius said yesterday that he knew nothing about the reported sale of matches to small retailers at reduced prices in order that the selfish interests of these dealers might be secured to favor the postponement of the regulation against white phosphorus matches. He said the Diamond Co. had not broken its uniform prices here or elsewhere.

Speaking of the desirability of modifying the regulations in some respects, he mentioned section 269, which requires that the manufacturers shall place the "serial number" on each box of matches sold in New York.

"If each large city should make a similar enactment, it would require a box as big as a house to bear all the serial numbers,” he said.

[New York Tribune, Nov. 26, 1912.]

SAY MATCHES KILL THREE BABIES A DAY-WOMEN POINT TO STATISTICS IN FIGHT ON LUCIFERS THAT POISON-ONE'S GRIEF NEAR HOME-MISS WALD'S LOSS HAS STIRRED HER TO WORK IN SAVING OTHER CHILDREN FROM "PITTY CAN'Y."|

"Pitty, pitty. Can'y."

Baby's bright eyes spied the little pink objects on the table. She left dolly sprawling by the window and toddled over to the "can'y," which some careless person had left within reach of the short arms. Nurse had left the room for just a moment. When she returned the darling of the family was in convulsions and in a short time she was dead, for the pretty pink "can'y" had been matches-poisonous, white phosphorous matches.

This is the reason why Miss Lillian D. Wald, of the Henry Street Settlement, has been working all summer in support of the law to keep these matches out of New York City. The baby who died was one dear to her, and with that terrible lesson in her heart she has used her influence to save other little children from a similar fate. "It is such a common occurrence," she said yesterday. "Any one is likely to leave a child alone in a room where matches are within reach. Any child who is so little as not to know better is likely to want to eat the little pink heads. Children want to eat anything. I don't know just how much of the phosphorous poison is necessary to kill a child, but I have heard that two matches are enough. We never knew how many matches were sucked by the little child I told you of. It could not have been many.

AFRAID "TRUST" WILL WIN.

"That is why I have done what I could to secure the passage of that ordinance. Yes; I have heard that the Match Trust is making efforts to have it repealed. I am afraid they will, though, of course, we are watching them all the time.'

The social worker spoke of other cases of children being poisoned by matches which came within the range of her own personal experience.

The danger in these white phosphorus matches is that in addition to being pink, and therefore attractive to the child eye, they have a slightly sweet taste, so that a young child who tries one likes it and reaches for the next. It is said that there is absolutely no cure for phosphorus poison. Another element, it is pointed out, which adds

to the danger is that these matches are not labeled. No other poison is so common, and all other poisons which are sold into homes are required by law to be marked plainly, it is explained.

It is said that there is considerable danger even to grown-ups, who do not eat match heads in the tiny particles thrown off by the matches. If they are left in the kitchen or in a closet near any receptive food, such as butter or cream, these poisonous particles lodge in the food. Many cases of ptomaine poisioning have been traced to this cause. The only sure way to keep matches is in an airtight box for the volatile particles penetrate common wooden or paper boxes.

There is another danger to be guarded against-fire. The housewife who keeps her matches in a tin box to secure them against nibbling mice also prevents them from injuring food.

THREE VICTIMS EVERY DAY.

According to Mrs. Eva McDonald Valesh, editor of The American Clubwoman, who has been prominent in the match fight with Miss Wald, 1,000 children every year, or 3 every day, die from phosphorus poison. The figures, she said, were the result of investigation by the Government Department of Commerce and Labor. Her crusade against the poison match began 15 years ago, when she heard of the work in Europe along those lines. It was the horrible conditions among workers in the factories where these matches were made-the fact that three-fourths of the women and children employed in these factories suffered from the loathsome disease known as "phossy jaw"-which first led to the investigations in the course of which it was discovered that these matches were dangerous likewise to children.

The fact that their manufacture had been prohibited in Europe for 15 years, Mrs. Valesh said, was significant in view of the tolerant attitude of the American public toward them. The manufacturers, she said, were just as able to make the nonpoisonous kind, only they had not enough of the new machinery to make their whole output of this kind. The fight against the new law was simply a fight against the expense of new machinery, she declared.

“We don't want to put the matchmakers out of business," she added. “It costs no more to make safe matches when once the machinery is installed."

[New York Tribune, Dec.19, 1912;]

LET NEW MATCH LAW STAND, WOMEN URGE-RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED AT MASS MEETING REQUESTING STRICT ENFORCEMENT MANUFACTURERS HAVE SAY SOME TO YIELD, OTHERS WILL FIGHT CROKER GIVES A DEMONSTRATION OF UNSAFE BRANDS.

Well-known match manufacturers went to Labor Temple, Second Avenue and Fourteenth Street, yesterday afternoon to look out for their interests at the women's mass meeting called to protest against any change in the new match ordinance as drafted by the municipal explosives commission. Former Fire Chief Croker stood on the platform and ignited various kinds of matches which he denounced as unsafe without giving their trade names. The women applauded him loudly when he said he was in favor of safety matches, regardless of what firm made them. Resolutions of protest were unanimously carried-the match manufacturers not voting.

The match men, however, got a chance to tell the women where they stood as regards the new law, and they spoke in such large numbers and in such rapid succession that the chairman, the Rev. Dr. John Haynes Holmes, the pastor of the Church of the Messiah, Park Avenue and Thirty-fourth Street, said he didn't know there were so many matchmakers on earth. From Waldo P. Adams, who represented the Salvation Match Co., to W. F. Fairburn, general superintendent of the Diamond Match Co., they were inclined to tell trade secrets about one another, and it kept Dr. Holmes busy asking them to stick to the subject.

Finally Mrs. Eva McDonald Valesh, editor of the American Clubwoman, who was one of the speakers, asked Mr. Fairburn point blank whether the Diamond Match Co. intended trying to get the board of aldermen to change the match regulation in any way.

Madam," replied Mr. Fairburn, "it has never been our idea to oppose the explosives commission. We were only recently informed, however, that the ordinance would not be modified, but if the commission deems it unwise to change it we consider that any change is impossible."

ONE READY TO COMPLY WITH LAW.

"May I ask Mr. Fairburn whether he favors the 'impregnated' splint?" Mrs. Valesh asked of Dr. Holmes, who, in order to keep the discussion germane, had announced that he would rule on all queries which the meeting might put up to the matchmakers. "As to that," Mr. Fairburn said, "all I care to say is that, although we opposed the adoption of the impregnated match at the hearing before the commission in May last, we are now ready to comply with the law and supply the trade with these matches on and after January 1, 1913.'

The resolutions adopted call for the appointment of a committee of 21, with Dr. Holmes and Lester F. Scott, of the People's Institute (who acted as secretary of the meeting) as members, to protest to the aldermen against any "alteration, extension, or change in the present ordinance, and to request Mayor Gaynor, the fire commission, and the board of aldermen to make a strict enforcement of the law." They were presented by Dr. Henry Moskowitz, of the Downtown Ethical Culture Society.

Mrs. Robert F. Cartwright, of the safety committee of the Federation of Women's Clubs, offered resolutions appealing to the fire commission and to the health department to appoint women as deputy inspectors to see that the match ordinance was enforced. "If such appointments are not constitutional," the resolutions set forth, "we favor the enactment of special legislation to make them legal." The resolutions were seconded by Mrs. William Grant Brown, president of the federation, and adopted unanimously, the match manufacturers again being without a vote.

YEAR'S FIRE LOSS HERE $86,000.

Ex-Chief Croker said that 526 fires were caused in New York City during the year 1911 from the careless use of matches in the hands of children and others, causing a loss of about $86,000. Mr. Fairburn said there were 15,000 small match dealers in the city, and he thought they ought to have a little time in which to exchange their stock of old matches for the new. He denied that the Diamond Co. had tried to

"unload" goods on the New York trade.

Ray S. Gilbert, an attorney representing the Fred Fear Co., of Philadelphia, declared that his client would lose $25,000 worth of old-style machinery in his local plant if the ordinance went into effect before July 1, 1913. "I serve notice on this meeting," he said, "that we shall fight this law fairly and fearlessly."

W. B. Hutchinson, president of the Salvation Match Co., said he was the only match man who favored the ordinance at the hearings last summer, because his concern, he said, was prepared to furnish the nonpoisonous, "impregnated" match.

"We make no excuses. It is good business for us," he said. "And I am glad to hear Mr. Fairburn, of the Diamond Co., state in a manly way that his company will comply with the law. He supplies 90 per cent of the New York trade. We get some of it, of course. This is a good law, and there is no reason why every manufacturer should not regard it as good business to comply with it."

Other speakers were the Rev. J. C. Day, superintendent of the Labor Temple; P. S. Brady, of the Cenral Union Labor Council; E. Everhardt, of the Ohio Match Co.; and Miss Maude Wilson, a Socialist nurse, who described the fearful nature of the disease known as "phossy jaw," which attacks the makers of white phosphorus matches. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED DECEMBER 18, 1912, AT THE LABOR TEMPLE, NEW YORK CITY, BY A MEETING OF VARIOUS SOCIETIES.

Whereas the municipal explosives commission of the city of New York adopted on January 3, 1912, certain rules and regulations pertaining to the storage, transportation, or sale of matches within the city of New York, which rules and regulations constitute a chapter of the code of ordinances of this city as authorized in chapter 899 of the Laws of 1911 of the city of New York, amending the Greater New York charter in relation to the better prevention of fires; and

Whereas the said rules and regulations as adopted are to go into effect January 1, 1913, and provide that it shall be unlawful for any person to store, transport, or sell within the city of New York any matches that do not comply with the rules and regulations of the ordinance; and

Whereas, as set forth in the statement appended hereto and made a part hereof that, as stated by George O. Eaton, of the municipal explosives commission, tremendous pressure has been brought upon the commission to repeal the said ordinance or make it ineffective; and

Whereas it is the belief of those present that, inasmuch as the board of aldermen of this city alone have the power to amend or repeal the said ordnance: Be it therefore

Resolved, That a committee of 21 to represent those present at this meeting be appointed, of which committee the chairman of this meeting shall be the chairman and the secretary of this meeting shall be the secretary and the other members of which committee shall be named and designated by said chairman; and

Be it further resolved, That this committee shall, at its discretion, make such protests and requests to the properly constituted authorities of the city, county, and State, particularly the board of aldermen, to the effect that no alteration, extension, or change be made in the law as it now stands, and to request the mayor, fire commissioner, and municipal explosives commission and the fire prevention bureau to strictly enforce the observance of said ordinance; and

Be it further resolved, That said committee request the board of health to strictly enforce section 66 of the sanitary code, as applying to poisonous phosphorus matches; and

Be it further resolved, That as individuals who are members of societies, we shall seek to enlist the earnest cooperation of said societies with the committee to be appointed under this resolution.

At a meeting at the Warren Goodard House, 246 East Thirty-fourth Street, November 29, the purpose of the meeting being to start an organized agitation against the amendment or repeal of the new match law of New York City, which is to go into effect January 1, 1913, there were present representatives of the Association of Neighborhood Workers, the New York City Federation of Woman's Clubs, the Federation of Churches of New York City, the League of Mothers' Clubs, Chelsea Neighborhood Association, and the Local Needs Association.

Gen. George O. Eaton, of the municipal explosives commission, at the invitation of the woman's clubs, was present, representing Joseph Johnson, fire commissioner. Gen. Eaton stated that tremendous pressure had been brought to bear upon the commission to repeal the ordinance or make it ineffective. Nevertheless, speaking on behalf of the fire commissioner and for himself, he stated that, so far as sections Nos. 258 and 272 were concerned, the commission were opposed to any change. However, it was the purpose of the commission to submit to the board of aldermen of this city a request that amendments be made to the law in other respects.

Furthermore, Gen. Eaton called attention to the peculiar situation that, where the commission could formulate the law themselves, they could not alter it, as, under authority granted them by a special act of the legislature, only the aldermen have the power to amend or repeal.

It is generally believed by all those who have probed into this matter that the "tremendous pressure" referred to by Gen. Eaton is being brought by the match manufacturers of this country who are seeking to avoid compliance with the new law, the enforcement of which is of vital importance to all the people of this city, who must cooperate in the enforcement of this and other laws and ordinances.

Indirectly, having a bearing on the new match law, section 66 of the sanitary code of the board of health, prohibiting the sale of poisons without being properly labeled, if enforced as regards poisonous phosphorus matches, would make effective section No. 258 of the match law.

A special committee was appointed to seek the cooperation of all organizations, societies, and the press of New York in making a protest to the properly constituted authorities of the city, including the mayor, the board of aldermen, fire commissioner, and the municipal explosives commission, against any emasculation or alteration of the law as it now stands, the special committee to take such procedure as will bring about a strict enforcement of section 66 of the sanitary code.

The influence that is at work seeking to nullify the law will doubtless concentrate their attention upon the board of aldermen.---NEW YORK, December 10, 1913.

Second resolution adopted December 18, 1912, at Labor Temple, New York City, at a mass meeting, called for the purpose of upholding the New York City match law: Whereas it is the moral duty of all citizens to cooperate in the observance and enforcement of the laws and ordinances of the city, county, and State; and

Whereas much of the laxity in the observance and enforcement of such laws is due to the carelessness if not to the indifference of citizens; and

Whereas particularly the laws of the department of health and the fire-prevention bureau are of great and vital inportance to us all; and

Whereas these departments are said to be taxed to the utmost with appropriations at their command in providing sufficient inspectors to perform the services required of them; and

Whereas it is believed that the volunteer services of many citizens, particularly the women, of the city of New York can be enlisted to cooperate in the enforcement of law if they are given the necessary authority: Be it hereby

Resolved, That the special committee for action to be appointed at this meeting shall ascertain if under the present laws governing the city of New York it is not possible to secure the appointment of women to the office of deputy assistant to the fire commissioner and deputy assistant to the commissioner of health, with services to be paid for by the city, which officers shall have the jurisdictional power to enlist and appoint deputy inspectors to serve without pay, whose powers and duties shall be assigned to them. These volunteer officers to be appointed ad libitum for each district as may be assigned.

Be it further resolved, That if it shall be found that under the present laws appointments of women as duputy commissioners can not be made, that as individual members of societies we shall seek to enlist the cooperation of said societies in an agitation and movement to secure from the State legislature the enactment of such legislation as will make such appointments legally possible.

[New York Call, Dec. 19, 1912.]

INDIGNATION MEETING BRINGS OUT "BOSSES"-PUBLIC WILL NOT TOLERATE MEDDLING WITH NEW MATCH LAW.

A public protest meeting was held yesterday afternoon in the Fourteenth Street Labor Temple against any pressure being brought to bear upon the board of aldermen to nullify the action of the city ordinance against the sale of dangerous matches. This new law goes into effect on January 1, and precedes the Federal act by six months.

Representatives of many public reform organizations were present, as were also numerous henchmen of the great match concerns, who hastened to explain their position on the much-debated question. Resolutions were adopted providing for the appointment of a committee to protest against any changes in the law.

The principal features of the new match law from the standpoint of the consumer are the following:

On and after the 1st day of January, 1913, it shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, transport, store, or sell within the city of New York, any matches in the manufacture of which white phosphorus enters as an ingredient.

Manufacturers and retailers of matches must obtain a permit from the fire depart ment. No certificate of approval shall be issued for a match the stick of which has not been treated to a process of impregnation for the purpose of preventing an afterglow. It shall be unlawful for any person to store, transport, or sell within the city of New York any matches unless the box or container in which they are packed bears plainly marked on the outside thereof the name of the manufacturer, the number of the certificate of approval, and the words "Approved match, No. -."

A person who violates any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor. Among the speakers were Mrs. William Grant Brown, president of the New York City Federation of Women's Clubs; Peter J. Brady, secretary of the Central Union Label Council of Greater New York; ex-Chief Croker, of the fire department; Dr. Henry Moscowitz, of the committee of safety of New York City; and Mrs. Eva McDonald Valesh. Dr. John Haynes Holmes of the Church of the Messiah presided. Ex-Chief Croker said that fusee matches and card matches are dangerous. The fire department reports for 1911 showed that in New York City 359 fires were started by the carelessness of match users, and 167 fires were set by children playing with matches, the loss from these fires aggregating $86,000.

Representatives of several match companies, the Diamond Match Co., and the Fred Fear Match Co., of Pennsylvania, said that all they wanted was time to recall from 15,000 retail dealers in New York City the stock of phosphorus matches now on hand and time to supply the dealers with the nonphosphorus match.

W. F. Fairburn, general superintendent of the Diamond Match Co., pleaded that the company had not time to put a new stock of nonpoisonous matches on the market and recall the present stock.

Ray Gilbert, representing the Fred Fear Match Co., of Philadelphia, said that the reason that they didn't want to have an impregnated match was because of the cost of manufacturing such a match in what he called a semicontinuous machine.

President Hutchins of the Salvation Match Co., which now manufactures exclusively matches that come within the requirements of the new ordinance, said that his company regarded the law as a good one.