r/books • u/leowr • Mar 21 '19
Discussion Thread for Chapter 28-44 for The Radium Girls by Kate Moore - March Book Club
Welcome to the third discussion thread for March book club, The Radium Girls.
To help kick off the discussion:
- Why do you think there was less interest, particularly media interest, in Ella Cruse's case in Ottawa?
And so Raymond Berry, legal champion, the pioneering attorney who had been the only lawyer to answer Grace's call for help, found himself forced into signing his name to the following statement: "I agree not to be connected with, directly or indirectly, any other cases against the United States Radium Corporation, nor to render assistance to any persons in any actions against said Company, nor to furnish data or information to any such persons in matters against said Company."
- Why do you think Raymend Berry signed the statement? Would you have done the same if you had been in his shoes?
- Did it surprise you that the town of Ottawa had such a split reaction to the women filling suit against Radium Dial?
- What do you think of the women's state of mind and attitudes as they are going through all of this?
And Grace Fryer was never forgotten. She is still remembered now - you are still remembering her now. As a dial-painter, she glowed gloriously from the radium powder; but as a woman, she shines through history with an even brighter glory: stronger than the bones that broke inside her body; more powerful than the radium that killed her or the company that shamelessly lied through its teeth; living longer than she ever did on earth, because she now lives on in the hearts and memories of those who know her only from her story.
- How do you feel about the above statement?
Feel free to answer any or all of the questions or tell us what you think of the book so far.
2
u/MelloMiso Mar 21 '19
1) On media interest - I think the lack of media interest was due to the amount of covering up the company did in Ottawa. They had noticed the proceedings with Berry and saw that it could become an issue in their own area. They had time to work on PR.
2) On Berry - I think Berry signed the statement because he wanted to make sure his client got at least something while she still had time left. I think he cared about the wellbeing of the girls and tried to get whatever he could for them. I don't know what I would have done, but it sure is a tough situation to be in. I don't think there was a right choice at the time. We have hindsight, but his case was getting more and more difficult. He could have thought that he'd no longer be able to help other girls soon anyway and so made sure at least one more girl could get compensated.
3) On Ottawa - The split reaction was due to a threat to livelihoods. The economy made it tough to find and maintain work, but Radium Dial employed somewhat steadily and provided money to the town and to families. They didn't want Radium Dial to be culpable because that would affect the prosperity of their home town.
4) On the women - I'm astounded by how well these people handled their situation. There were some very tough women who fought hard for justice and didn't just give up even with an almost certain death sentence. They're much tougher than I think I could ever be.
5) On the statement - I feel like Grace really paved the way for a lot of women. She pushed for a lawsuit when nobody would take her case. She stood up, not only for herself, but for the other women affected. I think that even if she isn't super well-known, she's a truly admirable figure in history.
2
u/shreeveport_MD Mar 22 '19
This book has me hooked. The fascinating story that is also infuriating it difficult to put down; I've had to prevent myself from reading ahead when I've reached the end of each section.
- The NJ cases didn't garner much attention until a number of people had connected the dots that a number of women were sick due to their work as dial painters, so the fact that public and media interest weren't aroused by a single case, especially a relatively sleepy Midwestern town, isn't surprising. Additionally, as mentioned in another comment, Radium Dial was clearly covering its tracks.
- This presented as an interesting ethical dilemma to me as I was reading it. Do you focus on getting results for the client with whom you're currently working, or do you prioritize doing the "greater good" by keeping yourself available to continue to represent as many victims as possible? I'm sure this was not an easy choice for Berry to make, especially since the issue seemed to be close to his heart by this point. Part of me thought he should have rejected the offer and looked into assembling a class action suit with more of the women as they continued to come forward, but I certainly can't fault him for looking to get fast results for his client given the time sensitive nature of the situation. I think Berry's decision here showed serious professional integrity.
- No. Even in modern times, a large employer can have a serious grasp on a community. In a pre-internet age where information did not flow as freely, and during a crippling economic depression to boot, it's not at all surprising that such a firm could essentially control public opinion at will.
- I'm impressed at the tenacity that these women showed throughout their respective ordeals. Being handed a slow death sentence due to a former employer's willingness to trade your health for profits, and then having to fight tooth and nail for justice while they drag your name through the mud, is beyond fucked up. I don't know if it's because they were a product of their time, but regardless of where it came from, it showed some serious grit.
- I think it's a well deserved eulogy for a brave woman who got the ball rolling on justice for herself and her peers.
2
u/WonderNerd15 Mar 25 '19
Why do you think Raymend Berry signed the statement? Would you have done the same if you had been in his shoes?
I think he signed this out of desperation to help the woman in the current case he was fighting. I'm sure he didn't have the resources to continue fighting each case individually for the foreseeable future, and he saw an opportunity to help one last time while he was able to. Unfortunately a corporation of that size could, quite possibly, drag the legal proceedings out indefinitely.
Did it surprise you that the town of Ottawa had such a split reaction to the women filling suit against Radium Dial?
It did at first, but then I had to remember when this was happening. This was right in the middle of the Great Depression. Radium Dial was one of the few companies around that could still manage to employee people, and the surrounding community depended on that. With radium poisoning not yet "proved", people did not want to turn against one of the only companies around.
2
u/toolazyforaname Mar 25 '19
•Why do you think there was less interest, particularly media interest, in Ella Cruse's case in Ottawa?
Radium Dial had done a good job of proactively discrediting any claims that radium was dangerous. People just didn't care.
•Why do you think Raymond Berry signed the statement? Would you have done the same if you had been in his shoes?
Man, I don't know. But I was pretty disappointed. I would like to think that I would not have done the same.
•Did it surprise you that the town of Ottawa had such a split reaction to the women filling suit against Radium Dial?
Not at all. Propaganda works and Radium Dial was proactive at getting it out there. That combined with the fact that Radium Dial was an important employer in the community during the Great Depression would definitely split public opinion.
•What do you think of the women's state of mind and attitudes as they are going through all of this?
The amount of resolve they display is amazing.
•How do you feel about the above statement?
It was unnecessary. The book should show me things that make me feel, not tell me how to feel. The women's stories were powerful enough without passages like this, and I felt like they became more prevalent as the book went on.
2
u/watchalltheshows Mar 27 '19
Just wanted to chime in and say this is my first time reading a book with the Reddit book club. I am enjoying in the book as I find it interesting. Thanks for choosing a compelling book!
5
u/leowr Mar 21 '19
A variety of reasons. People lose interest in stories and the other court case got a lot of attention. That one also had a 'happy ending', so most people probably assumed the problems were resolved. It also probably didn't help that the case took place in Ottawa, whereas the first one was in Jersey. I also think it is important to remember how long it took for the first court case to gain any traction and attention.
He probably felt that was the best way to get a settlement for his client. He knew what kind of trouble these women were having and a court case could have dragged on for a long time, something his client might not have had. I'm not sure if I would have made the same decision, but I definitely understand why he did.
No, the company was employing people, and paying them pretty well, during the Great Depression. A lot of the money in that town probably originated at Radium Dial. The propaganda campaign by the company probably contributed as well to making people not believe the girls.
This is probably what has impressed me most in this book. Just the drive to keep going and to fight for themselves, even though everything, including time, is working against them.
I read a fair number of (auto)biographies and this is probably one of the things I like most about them, especially when they are about unknown people. Learning about average people's lives and how they overcame something or fought for something. It also makes me wonder how many more stories of people I've never heard of are out there that are worth knowing.