Correspondence: 1905, Oct 12 - 1909, Mar 20., 1905-1909

This early correspondence relates almost entirely to the formation and early administration of the American Association for Labor Legisla-tion (AALL). Much of the initiative for its inauguration was taken by Adna F. Weber and Henry W. Farnam, whose interest in the International Association for Labor Legislation (IALL) inspired the establishment of its American counterpart. A circular and an invitation to attend the general meeting to organize the American section of the IALL on Feb. 15, 1906, drew favorable response from several persons who would later be influential in the Association, notably Samuel Gompers and Miles Mehander Dawson. The formal founding of the AALL dates from that 1906 meeting, and subsequent correspondence deals with the leadership and personnel problems of the infant association, as well as with the relationship of the new organization to the IALL. Richard T. Ely, first president of the AALL, wrote to Weber (2/26/07) commenting that the AALL needed a paid representative to give his full time to the work. The perennial problem of fund raising became a theme early in the organization's correspondence. During 1908, the course that the AALL was to follow for the next few years was developed. John R. Commons, then secretary, wrote to Dr. Henry B. Favill of the American Medical Association expressing a desire to meet with him and Dr. Alice Hamilton to discuss the investigation of occupational health and disease (1/21/08). This dialogue accelerated the development of a standard nomenclature for occupational disease and a proposal to investigate and recommend standards for industrial hygiene. Newly appointed Assistant Secretary Irene Osgood exchanged letters with Margaret D. Robins. Their correspondence concerned the Association's desire to investigate industrial diseases and poisons, and the plans for establishment of state chapters. Support for the organization was sought and won from socially conscious national leaders, including Louis Brandeis, Edward T. Devine, Samuel Gompers, and Alice Hamilton. The assistance of reform-minded groups such as the National Child Labor Committee was also successfully solicited. Early in 1909, Commons and Osgood suggested to Henry W. Farnam that John Andrews would make an excellent executive secretary. There was some question at this juncture as to whether the official stationery of the Association should carry the union label. Arguments on this issue went on for several years and are symptomatic of the organization's ambivalent attitude toward organized labor. Dr. Alice Hamilton continued her work with the AALL on industrial poisons and her letter to Osgood (2/13/09) suggested that a study of the match industry be undertaken because of its widespread use of poisonous white phosphorous.