Evening star., 1902-04-22
THE SOCIAL SCIENTISTS
Opening Sessionsooff Of American
Association.
TOPICS DISCUSSED
COMPENSATION FOR WORKERS
INJURED BY ACCIDENT.
Introductory Address by John Graham
Brooks-Papers by A. Maurice
Low and Others.


The attention of those who attended the
session this morning al the Columbian Uni
versity of the American Social Science AS
sociation given to the subject of pro-
vision for compensation for accidents to in
dustrial workers. This subject was in the
department of social economy, and an in
teresting resume of the conditions in this
country and in Europe was given by the
chairman, John Graham Brooks He spoke
without notes, and his remarks were in
tended to be Introductory to the entire SUBJ
ject some of the phases of which were
treated in the papers presented later by A
Maurice Low and Adna F. Weber. Mr..
Brooks spoke of the provision made in some
countries in Europe for the support of
workmen who had passed beyond the age
limit of usefulness and said that while he
was not special advocate of old-age PEN
sions, under the condition of modern in
dustrial life when men who arrive: at the
age of fifty are surplanted by those whose
youth gave them fresh energy of nerve and
brain, it seemed that something ought to be
done for those who were thus set aside
Mr.. Brooks then took up the question of
liability for accidents to employees and
showed how far behind the United States
is in comparison with other countries in an
adequate and just treatment of such cases.
While what is known as employees liability
acts exist in a number of the states of this
country, yet, owing to the doctrine of COM
mon employment and individual blame the
value of such laws is largely lost. He be-
lleVed that a more intelligent system is the
one which is in vogue in at least seven
countries of Europe which recognize that
in the complicated Industries of modern
times at least 40 per cent of the accidents
the blame could not be properly traced to
any person. Because of the conviction.
based on statistics, there had arisen the
doctrine of trade risks, form of insurance
which supplied to the company the means
necessary to assist and give relief in cases
of accidents. He looked upon this as more
Intelligent than is the system pursued in
this country of looking for the individual
blame in each and every instance. Fur
ther, such a matter affords the necessary
protection to employees from the impositions
which they were exposed to in every acci-
dent.
Mr.. Lows Paper
Mr.. A. Maurice Low read paper on "The
English Workingman's Compensation Act"
which was, in part, as follows:
The British workmen's CONDENSATION act
is noteworthy as an advanced step in social
legislation; noteworthy that this advanced
legislation should be enacted in a country
so conservative as Great Britain.
IL an injury is caused to q workman by
an accident arising out of the course Of
his employment, but which is not due to
the negligence of the employee or the vio-
lation of the rules and regulations govern
ing the employment, the compensation shall
be, IN case of his death, not less than G1lO
nor more than $500. In case of total or
partial incapacity as the result of injury,
the workman is entitled to Compensation
based on his average weekly earnings but
not to exceed G1 a week The, law makes
stringent provisions to prexent fraud on
employers and to safeguard the rights of
the Workmen. To avoid litigation as much
oil IN il, 10 fD-
ing differences and for certain simple court
proceedings when arbitration is declined by
either party. -,
ANY change in the relations existing be-
tween employer and employe is important
in the bearing it has % upon production
and profits; (0 whether labor gains by the
change; (3) whether it has any effect in
improving the relations between capital
and labor.
What effect the law has had upon pro-
duction and profits can be answered only
In very general way and not with that
exactness that can be regarded as conclu-
sive. The law has not yet been subjected to
the great test that is the touchstone of all
economic laws-that is a falling market
and until 1t has been submitted to that test
the cautious investigator will hold his
judgment in suspense. One may, however,
affirmatively assert that the effect Of the
law since its operation has not curtailed
production nor has it so far anyone has
been able to discover had any effect on
profits.
1ue SeCouQ 0ueSIlOu.
'It is very much easier to answer the
second question, what labor has gained by
the new law. Unhesitatingly, it can be said
that labor has gained much, very much; it
has profited not only materially but moral
ly, and the moral gain has been as i'm
portant as the material. The employe has
been made to feel that when i'll luck befalls
him. when through no fault of his own
but simply due to the fact that he Is an
enlisted man in the great army of labor
and meets with the fate that every man in
the ranks may have to meet at some time
he is not forced to lose his self respect by
appealing to charity becoming a charge
upon the community. Death is robbed OF
at least some of it's terrors.
When come to consider the effect of
the law on the relations between capital
and labor we see that it has undoubtedly
improved those relations, although that i'm
provement is merely incidental to the ope-
ralions of the law and was not contemplate
ed by it's supporters at the time OF Its enact
ment
'.One of the far-reachng consequences Of
the law is the more careful selection eXer-
cised by employers and their disincltnat1on
to employ men who have passed their prime
or whose mental or bodily faculties are In
the least impaired or dulled. The reason.
of course, Is obvious. A workman past
his prime is more likely to become injured
than one younger and more alert. and as
the law imposes severe penalties on the
employer he will naturally take every pre-
caution to minimize his risk. In time of
stress, on a falling market, when produc-
ton must be curtailed and the number of
employees reduced, 1t is feared by laboring
men that those of them above certain
age would be the first marked for dismissal,
which would mean that elderly men, those
least able to adjust themselves to other
employment, because they have lost their
initiative and are too old tnolearn new
trade, would be dependent, upon charity or
Cooking for work. and that is precisely |
the class for whom it is the most difficult
to find work. IUpT
1.-The young, active, vigorous man can
manage at times to exc aout a living by
turning his hand to any odd job. A man
who has spent his YOUTH Andt his manhood
at a loom or watching a piece of machinery.
and when long past middle age suddenly |
finds himself cast adrift is the most hope |
less derelict on the great sea, of humanity, |
the most pathetic object that Society has to |
contemplate. How well founded this fear is
the future will show. Itt fSI enough to say |
that now it is an ever-present fear.
Provision for Old Men.
1.-THE old man Is always With us. and the |
old man who has lived qif4 4f usefulness, |
but whose circumstancesLAagsn not enabled |