Letters Received to H.H. Barker, May 14, 1935

- STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JOHN J. TOOHEY, JR., COMMISSIONER OF LABOR JOHN ROACH, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER. Trenton, New Jersey May 14, 1935 MAY 15 1935 United States Radium Corporation, 535 Pearl Street, New York City, N. Y. Gentlemen: Attention: H. H. Barker, Vice-President. You have notified me through your Attorney that you are contemplating the removal of your radium products plant from New York to New Jersey. This decision on your part causes me considerable concern and anxiety for you know that your unfortunate litigation with reference to radium poisoning cases has received wide publicity and that this agitation has not abated by time due perhaps, to continued litigation in the Federal Courts. You are also aware that under the laws of the State of New Jersey I have no authority to prevent your re-establishing your plant in New Jersey. Your insistence that progress in the science of handling radium has advanced so far that at the present time it can be handled without undue risk is not convincing from my point of view due in a large measure to the carefully worded reports on radium toxicity which speak of minimized danger and not of ultimate prevention. I have no reports on file of any official or of any official body that would satisfy me that methods can be employed that will render the handling of radium products harmless to workers. In view of these circumstances I regret the decision of your corporation to re-establish your plant for the handling of radium products in New Jersey. While I have no authority to forbid your re-entering New Jersey for industrial purposes, never- theless as head of the State Department of Labor I cannot welcome your project. While I want new industries to locate in the State still, you must bear in mind, if any of your employees were to suffer radium poisoning, I as the Commissioner of Labor, whose duty it is to supervise the physical welfare of workers, would be exposed to merited criticism. This is a risk which I should not be asked to assume and I, therefore, desire to make the position of the Department of Labor perfectly plain at this time. Yours COMMI veny SS TONER trulty OF LABOR, L