The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-25
TO PROTECT WORKERS.
French Laws Provide for Wages OF
Annuity After Accident.

France is making every possible
effort to protect her workingmen
against accidents in their labor. The
French Employers Liability act was
passed on April IL, 1906, and it has a
most important bearing on the rela-
tons of employers and employees in
the event of accident 1t applies to all
employees and employed. Before 1898
negligence or fault on the part of the
employer had to be proved to enable
a workman to obtain compensation in
case of accident, but this new law
makes compensation recoverable in
every case of accident. whether due to
negligence or mere chance.
Under the act of 1898 the annuity
to the widow or widower was to be
paid during life, and to be equivalent
to 20 per cent of the annual wages of
the deceased, the annuities to children
to vary from Is to 40 per cent of the
annual wages, and some to reach 60
per cent in the event of their being
left orphans. Should widow or
widower remarry the annuity was to
cease, after the payment of lump
sum, representing the value of three
years. annuity. A workman under
this law earning annually 1900 francs
($289.5O, IL killed by accident in his
trade, would leave to his widow an
annuity of $3.50 and one of $101.32
to his children. These annuities. cap
italized, represent about 10000 francs,
or $2,O26.50.
In case of total disablement for
work the victim of an accident receiv-
ed life annuity of 66 per cent of his
wages, and, in case of partial disable
ment. an annuity corresponding to
one-half the loss of the wage earning
power caused by the accident. The
loss of leg was generally estimated
by the courts to be equivalent to the
loss of 20 per cent of wage earning
power, so that workman suffering
from this injury was allowed an an
nuity of IS per cent of his wages. For
accident causing temporary disable
ment from work the workman received
one-half his daily wage until his COM
plete recovery. All medical and phar-
maceutical expenses. as we'll as hos
pital and funeral expenses, were to
be borne by the employer.
In spite of the completeness and
decision of the text of the law, a great
deal must, of course, depend upon the
views of the courts when called upon
to interpret it. Evidence of ten
dency to increase the liability of en-
ployers is afforded by the Act Of
March 81, 1905, which is supplement
airy to the Act Of April 9, 1898, and
which stipulates among other liabil-
tiles the payment of half wages from
the first day after the accident in all
cases lasting more TINA ten days, in
stead from the fifth day after, as orig
inally provided.
The fact that this legislation was
limited to certain trades gave rise to
much controversy, and the courts diff
its limitations. Generally speaking, all
trades involving manufacture of trans
forming materials of any kind, were
judged as coming within the scope of
It's provisions, as we'll as mining,
quarrying, building, and all work re-
quiring the use Of machinery worked
otherwise than by hand. But even
these definitions did not entirely dis
pose of all difficulties, and it is still
an open question whether bakers.
butchers and various other trades can
be regarded as being benefited by the
law.
The evident unfairness to workmen
belonging to industries not coming
under the provisions of the act and the
desire to make the act more far-reach-
ing in its scope resulted In the passage
of the law of last April, which def
nitely deals with the question and
finally disposes of the doubts which
still existed as to the relative positions
of various trades. All commercial en-
terprises with the single exception OF
agriculture, are now subject to the en-
ployers' liability acts. Some little
time must elapse before the new law
| will become operative. as certain adj
ministrative measures must be carried
out with regard to the imposition of
small tax on the commerce. The
proceeds of this tax will be used by