ORGANIZATION OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES 1 73 



rate of infants is abnormally high in the poorer sections and that it acts 

 as a cause to keep the population there in a continual state of poverty. 

 He says that the death of one baby is almost invariably followed by the 

 birth of another in a few months thereafter. This continuous succession 

 of births and deaths tends to lay on the population there a heavy burden 

 and greatly interferes with its industrial efficiency. This same truth 

 is very well illustrated in other parts of the world and has, in fact, become 

 a generally accepted truth in the science of biology. Such being the 

 case, it is not difficult for any one to realize that the importance of supply- 

 ing pure milk to the children of the city and thus reducing the death rate 

 in this class, thereby preventing in some measure the evils that are so 

 intimately connected with the poverty of great centers of population. 



What is true of milk is also true of coal. It is now known that coal 

 is an article that the modern world must have. Every one became 

 convinced of this fact during the coal strike of 1902. Modern life is so 

 tied up with the coal industry that in many quarters a strong demand 

 arose for the public ownership and operation of the coal mines. While 

 this may not be needed, it is safe to say that such an arrangement as 

 has been shown to exist in the city of Chicago in regard to the delivery 

 of coal to the consumers there is a problem that calls for governmental 

 solution. There is no doctrine but the doctrine of robbery that will 

 advocate the standing idly by and allowing the population to be plundered 

 so unscrupulously. In such a case no one will hesitate to call in the aid 

 of the government. No one will halt at government operation. It 

 may be that desirable results can be attained by the interference of the 

 government in some other way than by direct ownership and operation. 

 Perhaps some sort of supervisory control may achieve the desired result, 

 but in this country the results of attempts at such supervisory control 

 have been anything but gratifying. The ordinary citizen is beginning 

 to look more and more to the government to help him out of these most 

 serious difficulties. 



