Document DvKD2qXmjkavaa0pozO5GGjM

The White Lead Controversy Painters Brotherhood Overlooks Best Interests of Its Members by Taking Side of Prohibition^Speech" by fjohn Dewar--'Convincing Arguments on Value of "Foremost Pigment IGNORING the all-important part that-white'lead plays in the painting in dustry, and the journeymen's best interests as well, the annual convention one paint pigment -that can take the place of white lead, and there is no sub stitute for it in combination with other of the Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of Americap,igments. The use of white lead can which convened at Dallas, Tex., in September, placed, itself on record as ap be traced back 2,000 years, notwith proving the proposed prohibition of white lead at the:. International Labor^ Con standing it is sought to destroy it. ference in Geneva, Switzerland. This approval came about indirectly, through indorsement of the annual report .of National Secretary f;J.'- G." Skemp, .which TVhat would they offer for its replace ment? "What would its prohibition mean embodied the letter that.had already been sent by the.-.executives of the Brother- to you, Mr. Journeyman Painter? The hood to Geneva. ' /;/ /.../ /. ' requisites of a skilled painter worthy Inquiry among some of the,delegates to.the^convention,,after their return the name are that he be able to mix home, leads to the belief that a large number -oT those /delegates were. uninr . his paints to any required color or '-formed of the gravity, of the action that had been^taken' by the' convention, .shade, so that they will meet tbo and showed that those among the delegates^ who .were pot in f^Yor . of. indorsing/ necessary requirements of the founda prohibition never had an opportunity, to '..voice' theb;'sentim|hi^T,.i./.;-An effort to place before the convention "a resqlution';similar : to, that passed tion or surface to which they are to be applied, and that he be skilled in the application of his paints. at the recent International convention of the master painters in Louisville, pre "Mark this well. With the prohlbi/ sented by Delegate Jackson, was ruled out .of order*by thexhairman.; -This reso tion of white lead you will lose about lution was offered subsequent to.an eloquent plea^madelbyVJohn Dewar of Pitts half your present essential knowledge burgh to have the journeymen unite with .the master: painters; ixi".saving .for. the as a skilled artisan. The result will trade the pigment which helped to make'them craftemen rather .than laborers... A . be prepared paints of which you'will second attempt to introduce the Jackson resolution'on .the last.day^ of the conven-. know absolutely nothing. And you tion was again ruled out of order,by the chair.//-/ -f; '' will as a natural consequence become simply a. brush hand or perhaps a De-mar Pleads for White* Lead 'm*rblejand-xtone cutting,,.plastering,. Uewar 1 Leads. jor ^miningW'-mimerous other trades. To Past InternationalPresident Dewar. ^ be unhealthful gad must be taken into . sprayer. "There is be avoided. but one way that this cau Have your convention pass journeyed to. Dallas - in defense of-'^the body.through the mouth . iCleanli- a resolution recalling the attitude of . white lead. When given the privilege//ness of the person is the solution. How- your Brotherhood now on record as fa of the convention floor he proceeded toZjmany cases of colic can you recall? One voring the prohibition of white lead, defend the pigment as harmless whenTZ; 1^ 8,000. painters,?vand then . the cause and go on record as practical painters properly used. He declared that lits.y/was neglec.t/of.the.person.;.. ' v. : ... condemning such prohibition." prohibition would cancel 50 per cent . -./``The NevraYork.'Life Insurance Co., Applause greeted the close of the of. the painters' skill and reduce him .which has; for ^thirty years compiled - speaker's address. Mark Jackson, of /.to'a brush hand or sprayer, with pre-^ -data on .the mortality rate in; the va- Washington, rose to present such a pared paints. A resume of . Mr. De- .vj rious vocations, lists painters as nor- resolution asked by Mr. Dewar, which .war's address follows: ;:i V/ risks/ together with farm laborers, he had already prepared, but was ruled "I desire to. call your attention; to a //machinists And others regarding which out of order. He declared that he , lamentable condition existing,; the;re-//thereis/ho-question's to;the ;health- would offer the resolution later. suit of which is a menace to your pro-: ; fulness^-of>!their :vocation. - The/Metro- fession as skilled artisans worthy of // politanf Life Insurance Co. has similar, Convention Indorses Secretary's Action .the title. Therey is to .convene, next/; data./ Two per cent only of all painters At an earlier session of the Dallas month at Geneva an international la-;/.insured1 by. "this company have died, convention, before Mr. Dewar addressed bor conference. One of .the^five ques?//from lead colici as against two per cent the delegates, the convention had voted tions which ;this meeting.isrcalled to'/ by suicide./ These two companies have approval of Secretary Skemp's report, act upon is the.prohibition of white.;, xnot reported any increase in the mor- thereby indorsing the officers' action lead in painting. In the Daily;Intelli- ./tality of painters, but regard .them as in putting the Brotherhood on record gence of May 10, 1921, issuedrby the.:/normal risks.;. ^During my/business as favoring the prohibition of white Labor Office at Geneva, is a. statement/* career I, have ; employed thousands of lead. Secretary Skemp's report w.is that the Brotherhood of Painters, and/ - painters and have not known one to not read on the floor of the convention, Decorators of America are. on. record'- /suffer from.the effects of lead/ / however, before its adoption. It c:n- officially in their.office as favoring the"The/-InternationalAssociation of tained the following statement: prohibition, of white lead in painting/% Master House Painters and Decorators, Some reasons given by the Brotherhood//; also the Canadian association/are offi-, are that the use of white lead in paint- //dally on record at- Geneva as opposing "At the request of the Genera, Ex ecutive Board, the general c:// re warded to Geneva a brief statement of ' ing is a serious menance to the life of ./ prohibition of white lead in painting, tbe attitude of the Brotherhood resid the painter. It also says that if the use . They ask you to go along with them, ing the enactment of legislate ^ ;ro- of white lead is prohibited there can In my many years* experience as aV hibit the use of lead as a paint.ns r.\- be little doubt that various substitutes - painter I have always Sought the best would be perfected at once/ This is an^/possible, materials for lasting results, honest acknowledgment that there is^ My. reputation has been built by the no present, substitute for white lead. / _ use of white lead. There are other / y C J terial. While the data obta/.a;..* is limited, the evidence of the .r.-.rcus effect .of the use of white ; ad the health of the men employe*: .u to. painting industry is indisput.u.e W: - "Let us compare the healthfulness; /pigmehts /that./ occupy a; substantiaiy owe it to ourselve t and those km of our/trade with others, say,-that of `Z. place .in;that/category, but there is no upon us to take an active part .a the 'Save t^ surface and : you save ' 22 October 1921. . - ' \THE PAINTERS MAGAZINE agitation for the strict regulation of the use of lead, so long as it is per Regulation, Not Prohibi mitted,, and to secure the abandonment of its use at the earliest possible tion, :Is the Remedy pigment is handled, as in factories, in the dry form than in the use of load paste or fluid. White lead must be taken into the system to be injurious; time. (Editorial Published in the "Oil, Paint it cannot be absorbed through the skin. TStatement Sent to Geneva The letter upholding prohibition sent by the Brotherhood executives to the International Labor Office at Geneva, which letter was also made part of Secretary Slcemp's report, included the following gratuitous and unsubstan-; tiated statements: "Of 5,286 deaths occurring, during tl:s past six years and nine months, fifty-five were due directly to lead poisoning. In forty-two cases lead poisoning was given as the secondary cause. Of 864 cases of permanent and total disability, eighty-one. were at tributed directly1 to lead poisoning, and in thirty-seven cases this was a contributing cause. "Incomplete and unofficial tests of substitutes for white lead made in the United States indicate that zinc white ^and plumbous white are satisfactory, both for inside and outside work. There is little difference between the opacity : and Drug Reporter," Sept. 26) . Inhalation of lead dust can easily hgioacebonttinthhaunyruafogeeetsgantme,yHC.tatsrdhhdatgudaoOhhleeicsioensislonrSnltu`dftcofuwguegEgcusuaosbreogsuietgeefonvtemeschnhefdwishcoepwmcrtteht,n,ofhphh.etbo,`h;an*heertinyawc-hertoe.adeehtaahshpr*anva,eeliGtirbodIttube'ehne'lecv*etnekimiolttnadnaienimoolagetreerpifivneonjttnaeuicuohannynadtetdr,ahauyaptsgobrotioortosoeieshynrufosafnteiesen-hfirntafp.siphegrlwfmlpytaoloae.auhrimfmoiGgenaonLoratenbitehitarsgvdiiacsoananibatevobeh.nunfggroosoeirdeettst,,r,f, ionpqahutibaophitshnrnerabpaaruusorTgTlnliuioeeectngrth'hdheece,iuidtumnesefedrseagfaegisrfecnhbdrbsresradeoeiwersptUmwcethymm.fhibiodrionoapeileaosnrluuitlettvaceagWsoPelnrdparegredoaeuiflasshasnplptabbu.tiaiiolsneenittatlinfieifdthdtnseccrSegaoutlgegertHplr.acdusoesabwoattaeaifdyeiumbioirdabntApsdeghnptypltah.th.slhacaierelneawiylGnfltfSgoIonmeouetotcuoewsndsrvtlaedrloeceeavtaabasttrrditennvceyuonioiosemmrbr,ffwf,bneie,adoesaiucatihvstunhnrenrhiaahnneiiitgdesssst,-l There has been adduced no testimony which can impartially be accepted as evidence that the hazards alleged to attend the use of white lead paints are wholly inherent in the pigment, and not in. large kart the result .of care lessness on the part of those using it. It has not been proved, even with the, benefit of doubt, that the comparative^ the hazards of working with lead. The literature of the paint industry is full of useful advice toward the same end. As recent developments seem to indi cate a lack of familiarity with these suggestions, on the part of those for whose , benefit they have, been offered, a campaign of education would appear tq be in order. . / of white lead and that of plumbous zinc containing from 2 to 5 per cent of sulphate of lead, but this is incidental and comparatively unimportant. *; . "The fact that where three coats of white lead might suffice, four coats of zinc might be necessary, should not be given a moment's consideration if the expenditure of this additional labor will preserve the health and save the lives of the men employed in the paint ing industry. Should the use of white lead be prohibited it is beyond ques tion that the various substitutes would be perfected." In speaking to a representative of the Magazine during the convention period, Secretary-Treasurer Skemp jus tified the action of himself and his brother officials in these words: "Certain factions which are behind the movement to prevent the prohibi tion of the use of white lead have no . regard for the welfare and health of the workers, but are seeking their own selfish interests. There is no room . left .for doubt as to the harmfulness ' of lead in view of the statistics gath- ; ered both in this country and in Eu rope. "Use and manufacture of white lead has been prohibited in France and Ger many, and practically all other coun tries of -Western Europe except Italy and England. Exhaustive investiga tions were made which showed that hundreds of deaths among painters were due to this substance. "England would have also stopped ly few. authenticated instances of. in jurious results of the handling of-white lead paints could not have been pre vented through r attention to simple hygienic precautions, voluntarily given by the painter or enforced by official regulation. Why, then, is prohibition sought, rather, than such regulation as is admittedly of sufficient efficacy? ' Prohibition--we. speak iri a general sense--is the recourse of the inefficient. That is why it so seldom prohibits. It is the panacea: of the one-idea folks of the world.That is why its enforce ment requires a greater.complexity of. regulations and a greater number of officials than would 'have been1 neces sary to eradicate the evils by less de structive means. Why should the pub lic be deprived of the obvious benefits of white lead paints in order that those engaged in its manufacture and appli cation be protected against their own thoughtlessness? ; ; . . \ Autos, and Axes, and Other Things Automobiles ' kill a hundred persons for' every one who succumbs to lead " poisoning--and in the automobile cas ualty the victim is seldom contributorily. negligent. Does any thinking person advocate the prohibition of the use of automobiles rather than a strict regulation, of their handling? An axe is not infrequently employed as a homi cidal implement. Fatal accidents often times befall those who are wielding axes for a useful purpose. Are those occurrences put forth as reasons why the manufacture and use -.. of*.axes should be.stopped by law? ,. " - Each Thinks His Own the Worst It .is a peculiar circumstance Ihul men engaged in a particular vocation are prone to consider theirs the most hazardous calling. Street car em ployees believe that they suffer extraor dinarily from pnuemouia. Statistics do not support that belief. Farmers claim to be the especial victims -of rheumatism--when .a rheumatic farm er meets, a rheumatic coal-miner the claims in. that' regard are close to 100 'per cent on both sides--but available data indicate ' no "favored" -group; Actuary statistics give painters a.bet ter than average bill of health and in dicate that by far the greater part of their occupational afflictions are due to the'effects of solvents and not those of pigments. It is time that plain facts and figures were brought into the discussion ci the prohibition of the use of white lead paints. A great deal of misunderstand-' ing exists among those who are inter esting themselves in each side of Uk question. This will not be cleared up by exaggerating the dangers or by min imizing them. It can be shown that they have been and are being ex aggerated. It can be proved that flu-; are preventable through proper regnja tion and education. Should the prohibition idea be ap proved at Geneva, the case for elec tive, reasonable regulation will be se riously weakened. It is necessary, therefore, that the days to elapse befrr-j the International Labor Coiiferemn convenes be well employed in driving the use of lead but for the fact that Even the' thoughtlessness of one-idea the inquiry started by the Royal . Com missioner was interrupted at the be folks is ` of limited absurdity.' There is no reason why that thoughtlessness ginning of the war. should notv stop short of the proscrip "Hundreds of deaths have been in tion of white lead paints,' because directly due to lead poisoning, which . proper regulation of the manufacture were, not reported in this country as and use of ; such paints has clearly, such because of complications ; with been shown? to afford, sufficient safe other diseases. ~ guard for the workers therein. "The action of the convention . in Simple regulations enforced in white home the truth that the purpose aimed at does not necessitate prohibition, ami that ill-considered interference m.r. subject labor to a well-founded charge of depriving a numerous body of wat ers (including many of those whw* protection is purposed) of a means o: livelihood, through the destruction d a legitimate industry now perform;;.;: a useful public service. adopting my report which contains a le*ad factories in England have result record of the action of the executives . ed in a decrease of 97% per. cent in the placing the Brotherhood. on record as ", i cases of lead poisoning. Only." 19 such opposing the use of lead means that the cases occurred in the latest year. for majority of the delegates are of the . which .data are available, and the As to Substitutes for While Lead In-arguing that the use of whitlead in painting may well be prohibit: because it is non-essential, the arin same attitude." hazard is\infinitely greater when1 the. (Continued on page <121 Make 1922 the C as the first step toward J \ 62 October 1921' THE :PAINTERS:MACAZlNE'^f^^ Th Whit e Lead. C o n Lro \> e'r s y ; White Lead Made the "Goaf" L , . Apart from this we have the fact (.>-= (Continued from page 22):'; that many assumed cases of lead pois-" oning have been shown by modern cates of such prohibition hint at, rather, would ride1 roughshod over important' medical research to arise from quite than declare, the existence of substi trade considerations in its pursuit of . a different cause. "Painters' colic," tutes which would wholly replace the a discredited.ideal, for discredited pro-` popularly attributed to lead poisoning, pigment that they seek to proscribe. hibition - certainly' is among a .people is now known to be largely caused by They say that substitutes have been who boast that, science and restraint* the toxic effect of breathing the vapor found to be satisfactory, but they do can conquer/most, human ills. As well of turpentine and its substitutes, es not state to what extent. They foretell prohibit the electric street car, plead sential -ingredients of paint, which the perfecting of substitutes which ing that the horse tram is an "efficient ' evaporate freely during the operation > would fill tire place of white lead, but they do not tell what these are to- be substitute," because;- some cars have~ overturned or -run amuck. Prohibition of painting. This source of "paint poisoning" would not be removed by or whence they are to come. Doubtless they recognize the wisdom of not claiming too much. But what about the claims they do make?- ` ' There are other white pigments;" white lead is not the only one. For certain uses other pigments may be, no doubt some are, better than white lead. In other- regards, white lead stands alone. If this were not true, the . popularity of white lead would not withstand competition of price or the desire of the users or furnishers of paints to get, orNgive, the best. Experiments carried on in this country, in England, and in other coun- * tries, from the standpoint of the good of the public, have shown the greater- durability and covering power of white lead,- hence its economy, especially for outside use. Certain, experimenters re port the difficulty of repainting sur faces originally painted with substi tutes. As this necessitates the removal is, in short, reactionary. It is the policy of weaklings;-- --1' .- ; ;* * ' - *" While it 'is admitted by all that white lead is poisonous ' if . absorbed into the human.system, the extent to.which sickness amongst painters is due v' to: this cause. is open to considerable controyersy.-v.So much is this the case 1 that master painters as a rule' are ex-/ tremely skeptical as to the alleged dan-, ger. i Assuming,-however; for the. sake of argument that lead poisoning is prevalent among painters, it-is wise to consider; whether the drastic step of . prohibiting the use of white lead is -. necessary-or practical, or whether the evil could qot be-adequately disposed of by the alternative of regulating its. use; ' -- `` ' - Let ;us consider frankly the .`probable effects of prohibition. First, the die-, turn of .the International Labor Office that "it. is now technically ` possible to replace white lead in painting by effi the abolition of- white lead. Indeed, as substitutes necessitate the use of n greater proportion of such thinuers it ; would be increased. .. Those who, like the present writer.. frankly and honestly believe that white lead has properties which ren* der it invaluable as a protective paint material, and disbelieve as a result of x. their experience that substitutes are. . equally efficient as surface protectors. ' contend that it is far better to accept - white lead as a potentially poisonous / ' V .. material and regulate its use so as'lo.//. ; eliminate the . risk of poisoning. Ex-. '.* haustive investigation has placed it beyond doubt that the main and prac* v tically 'exclusive risk of poisoning /- from lead compounds lies in their In halation in'the form of dust, and it is; claimed that-if all processes of paint- ; , ing which result in the production of 3 .- dust were abolished the risk of lead of the original coating, its economic cient substitutes" will be stoutly chal poisoning to the painter would be 3; significance is noteworthy.' British au lenged. Without'discussing the point practically eliminated. thorities point to the greater cost of in detail, it may be stated that there is The most fruitful source of such applying substitutes because they do very considerable ground for the be lead-charged dust is the scraping and . ; , not work so easily under the brush, lief that the compulsory use of sub dry rubbing-down of old paint. It is - hence more time is required to paint stitutes for white lead would result in contended that if this dry rubbing,. .. a given surface than when white lead loss of efficiency in paint as regards its down were prohibited in toto the main .3 is used. most important function, that.of pro source of lead poisoning would be re- These are not so much matters of tection." ' * / . * moved; A regulation to this effect is this or that branch of the paint indus try; they have to do with the general public. It is the general public, which, in the final analysis, will decree the status of white lead in paints. " There-, fore, the general public should not be left under the influence of statements which beg the' question, such as the following unwarranted.- assumption in the questionnaire of the Interna tional Labor Conference: "In view of the fact that-it is now technically pos sible to replace white lead in paintingby efficient substitutes." That assump-. tion does not state a fact permitting . universal application and the public, should know the fallacy of that premise... Other Pigments. Will Cost More Apart from this there is. the ques tion of cost to the consumer. . Prohibi tion would eliminate competition,-and create a virtual monopoly for another material. Assuming that the manufac turers of this product would not take advantage of their fortunate position to raise the price (as has been done in other industries), the effect of prohibi tion would nevertheless.be costly to 'the community.: The expenditure of every: State and of every individual who is . concerned with the protection of prop erty by paint would be seriously in-, creased by the compulsory use of subproved, are most , costly in application and still more so by reason of the ne considered quite practicable. '/ ;/ > V'/" *- No Hardship in Regulation VV- Next to dust, the chief source of poisoning arises from paint being con-, ; veyed from the -hands into the mouth < in the handling of* food, etc. Here a regulation insisting on personal clean- . liness would meet the case. There is/; no hardship in such a regulation. The progressive employer of today insists ; : on cleanliness amongst his employees, and takes care to provide adequate- '- ; , , facilities. Cleanliness. and order are'/ ] ' the surest indication of efficiency, and / ` it will generally be found that the self- v-; respecting painter who is cleanly in / _ his habits and person is the most elii- ,` l cessity for more frequent repainting.- cient in his work. The Probable Effects of stitutes, which, as. experience: has To look at the matter from another Periodical medical inspection and . the compulsory notification of all cases ' Prohibition point of view, the - ostensible reason' of paint poisoning should form part of `/ V for the proposed abolition of white the regulations. It has been objected, v (From the London "Journal - of Dec- orative Art") `1 lead is to protect the painter by elim- with some show of reason, that such's* inating the risk of poisoning. -But it / -code of regulations would be vexatious,.;/?/'1'/ STUDENTS- of human nature are is well known, and has been clearly finding it a little curious that labor, ; which has so solidly opposed the .pro hibition of intoxicating liquor, not demonstrated by recent researches, that lead, is not the only source of poisoning in paint. .The danger, aris withstanding the evils that admittedly ing from the use of substitutes pre to the employer and difficult to oper*///'./ ate. Accepting this objection for .the. "" sake of argument, would not prohibl-/ tion- involve regulations almost as ex- ; -L tensive? It is quite certain that large /;/ ' attend strong drink, has officially,1; pared , from other . metals--a danger numbers of painters would not, except"'. ''/ through the Geneva Labor Office, em which although of less degree is none : under., constant supervision, abandon..' braced the policy of prohibition in re- the less real-rwould remain. The par the use-of white lead, as they believe v, v/V- gard to white lead in paint, because ticular zinc oxide recommended as a in it and are frankly skeptical as lo.///- painters are sometimes poisoned. 3 substitute, for example, actually con- ' its alleged dangers. Surreptitious use In both cases the champions of. pro tains a variable . percentage of lead "Would be far more dangerous than ac hibition claim that there are "efficient.8' ' compounds, : and the danger of lead knowledged. use under careful regula-' substitutes," but.in the one case labor; poisoning would remain in'a* peculiar- , tion. Prohibition would, in short, protests there can be no substitute fori, ly'insidious- form,'the worker being tail an army of inspectors,' and tha beer, while in the. other official labor' given a false sense of security.1 .? systematic analysis of all paints sold/.;#;///: Mahe 1922 the Greater ->feint and \kraish year as tb first step toward i ^doubling th* industry by 1916 -V V-V'/;'.-"?' ' ' ' . y 1: