Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-24

mother, son and daughter Legitimate or
| iilegitimate), grandson, granddaughter,
| stepson, stepdaughter,. brother, sister, half
! brother and half-sister."
| A large class Of persons who may seek
damages from others under this act may
themselves be compelled to pay damages
to others. AS Of the London news
papers says, there Is scarcely a person
| in the kingdom who is not touched In some
way or other by the provisions of the law"
A clergyman, a clerk, a mechanic or any
other person who is not earning more
than $1,000 year is liable to share his in
come to the extent of $3.50 a year with his
cook or his laundress a carpenter or a
plumber who may be injured while work
Ing for him. or by man or boy who may
be run over by an automobile or a railway
train while doing an errand for him.
cook or maid or any other household
servant who dies from a disease acquired
in service may cause her employer to pay
to her father or mother or brother or Sis
ter a sum equal to her full wages for three
years. Nothing can be collected, however,
by employees who are injured become i'll
while enjoying a holiday.
Insurance of Employers.
In England 1t is customary to insure ev-
erything. and just now the insurance COM
panies are getting ready to protect all en-
ployers of labor against the possible APP
phcation Of this extraordinary law. The
practice Of insurance is carried much
farther than In the United States You
can get policy on dog or a cat. par
rot or horse; you can insure your scarf
pin or your diamond necklace; you can pro-
tect your property against burglary as well
as fire. Caterers who supply dinners or
In the country are in the habit Of insuring
the food, dishes, silverware and linen
while 1t is out Of their sight, and if you
will go down to Lloyds agency in London, |
where all the insurance companies are rep
resented. you can hear some interesting |
stories of the novel policies that have |
been written i'll years past. Not long ago |
l related some of them in a letter how |
pianists and violinists insured their fingers |
and prima dinni their voices and ballet |
dancers their legs against failing them. |
Since the adoption of the new law many |
of the insurance companies have been pre- |
pairing to protect their patrons against |
damages and indemnities that they may |
be called upon to pay. A broad, new field |
OF profitable business has been opened. |
Several Of the companies have already is |
sued circulars and other advertisements Of |
ferlng to assume risks. One Of the cir ]
culars calls attention to the fact that it Is |
of greater Importance to insure a curate |
than dog" The insurance managers have
already agreed upon uniform rates for the /
different occupations. They will issue |
omnibus policies upon household servants,
for example, without requiring the names |
Of the servants to be given, SO that |
new policies will not be required every |
time a change is made. The scale Of rates |
is as follows:
Indoor servants, men and women. 3s. Sd. |
per year.
Gardeners, 5s per year. GroomS, coach |
men, stablemen, IS. I'd. per year
Grooms. employed in hunting, gamekeep-
ers and chauffeurs. los. Cd.
Protection Against Liabilities.
The Accident and Guarantee Corporation |
offers protection not only against legal |
liabilities under the law. but will provide |
for all claims for compensation from ser |
wants for any reason whatever. The Cen |
trail Insurance Company introduces what |
it calls a unique policy in the shape of |
a guarantee of full cash wages, free med- |
cal attendance and nursing expenses in |
case servant contracts typhoid or scarlet |
fever diphtheria, smallpox any other |
contagious disease. The cost of this policy
is 0s Cd. per year for indoor servants and |
los. for grooms, coachmen, gardeners and
other outdoor servants.
Thus an employer of labor Is able to
transfer all the liability under this new
law to the insurance companies upon the
payment Of a few shillings a Year. and
doubtless a majority of them will do SO.
There have been a good many communi- |
cations to the London Times and other /
newspapers containing protects against |
this law, but since its enactment the re- |
monstrances have ceased and everybody |
seems to accept it good naturally and is |
willing to submit to its provisions. 1t Is |
purely a political measure. however. 1t |
is intended to win the votes of wage |
earners for the liberal party and they con-
stltute large portion of the population of |
the united kingdom.