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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.
L
J. Yours very truly,
COMMISSIONER OF LABOR
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"ocrText": "STATE OF NEW JERSEY\nDEPARTMENT OF LABOR\nJOHN J. TOOHEY, JR.,\nCOMMISSIONER OF LABOR\nJOHN ROACH,\nDEPUTY COMMISSIONER.\nTrenton, New Jersey\nMay 14, 1935\nMAY 15 1935\nUnited States Radium Corporation,\n535 Pearl Street,\nNew York City, N. Y.\nGentlemen:\nAttention: H. H. Barker, Vice-President.\nYou have notified me through your Attorney that\nyou are contemplating the removal of your radium products\nplant from New York to New Jersey. This decision on your\npart causes me considerable concern and anxiety for you\nknow that your unfortunate litigation with reference to radium\npoisoning cases has received wide publicity and that this\nagitation has not abated by time due perhaps, to continued\nlitigation in the Federal Courts. You are also aware that\nunder the laws of the State of New Jersey I have no authority\nto prevent your re-establishing your plant in New Jersey. Your\ninsistence that progress in the science of handling radium has\nadvanced so far that at the present time it can be handled\nwithout undue risk is not convincing from my point of view\ndue in a large measure to the carefully worded reports on radium\ntoxicity which speak of minimized danger and not of ultimate\nprevention.\nI have no reports on file of any official or of\nany official body that would satisfy me that methods can be\nemployed that will render the handling of radium products harmless\nto workers.\nIn view of these circumstances I regret the decision\nof your corporation to re-establish your plant for the handling\nof radium products in New Jersey. While I have no authority to\nforbid your re-entering New Jersey for industrial purposes, never-\ntheless as head of the State Department of Labor I cannot welcome\nyour project. While I want new industries to locate in the State\nstill, you must bear in mind, if any of your employees were to\nsuffer radium poisoning, I as the Commissioner of Labor, whose\nduty it is to supervise the physical welfare of workers, would be\nexposed to merited criticism. This is a risk which I should not\nbe asked to assume and I, therefore, desire to make the position\nof the Department of Labor perfectly plain at this time.\nL\nJ. Yours very truly,\nCOMMISSIONER OF LABOR"
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