Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-20
ATTACKS ENGLISH BILL
WoRKMEN's COMPENSATION ACT
ASSAILED.
John Holt Schooling Utters Protest
and Lays Bare Alleged Danger
Faced by Employers.

Conservatively calm and self-possessed
England is place that no longer knows
itself; deep burrows of discomfort have set
themselves in the brow of John Bull: agi-
tated cogitation is upsetting the minds of
his nephews, and the hearts of the en-
ploying class of Britons laden with
care. The Hague conference is forgotten;
the war talk of other nations falls on I'M
listening ears; commercial matters of mo-
ment even are laid aside for the present,
for within the limits of the island kingdom
the workmen's compensation act has begun
its action, with all of it's multitudinous
perpleXing possibilities.
This act, which is the creation of Sir
Henry pbell-Rannerman, provides for
the protection of the employed classes, who
II injured during their employment may
make claim on their employers to the ex-
tent stipulated in the terms of the act.
Such concession on the part of the con-
servatiVe Englishman is a big step in it.
self toward the betterment of the masses,
but a wall has gone up from employers
that the step is far too long, a seven-league
boot stride, indeed. This wall is echoed in
an article in the July number of the Ma
tional Review by John Holt Schooling who,
with others of his countrymen resents the
act as one which will not only be injurious
to employers and employed, but to the
government that passed it,
"a SOASOldtlOu.
For this last reason alone" exclaims
the writer bitterly, I'VE may make up our
minds cheerfully to endure the vexatious
burdens and the still more troubling risks
created by this act, knowing that unless
it is promptly repealed or substantially
amended it will unseat the present gov
eminent"
Then comes a long line of bitter raillery
on the part of Mr.. Schooling, in which he
uses plain terms without verbal adorn-
ment in his expression of opinion of the
men who are responsible for the passage
of the act. He sncers ut the thought of in
surance covering even the letter of the law,
he prophesies numerous bankruptcies re-
sutant from the act he pictures the dis
NAL specter Of litigation haunting the
household with the specter's chances
against the householder summed up in
toss of a coin at Heads you lose, tails l
win Every employer. from the magnate
down to the smallest shopkeeper who en-
ploys another person whose remuneration
does not exceed S1.2Go yearly will have
to bar the burden of the act All OF
these run not only the intrinsic risk, but
also the risk of bogus claims, as one sec
ton of the act enables employed per-
son to make a claim within six months
from the occurrence of the accident caus-
ing the injury, thus opening the door to
bogus claims
For example" growls Mr.. Schooling in
touching this phase of the act, "a do
meStlc servant WIZ IcIt ilei pace VI
who has been dismissed for misconduct
is enabled to make claim within the next
six months for an injury (st-ained back.
hous emaids knee, varicose veins, etc, etc)
coming to her after she had left her situa-
ton. but which she alleges occurred before
she left her situation. The onus of prov
ing that the Injury occurred after the SER
want left her situation rests upon the I'M
fortunate employer. He must either make
his defense against this bogus claim, in
any case a most expensive and difficult
task, or he must pay the claim of his dis
missed servant. If the employer fights the
case and wins with costs, the servant cam
not pay his costs and goes scot free. Thus
any grudge, any malice against a former
employer, who whether ne win or lose,
must be put to considerable annoyance and
considerable cost"
Other Inconvenience.
Having enumerated these injuries which
the act brings on employers, the writer
enters into the question of the inconven-
fences which will be suffered by employees
Casual labor may bring its claims, ac-
cording to the act. and mistaken opin-
ion plus a serious accident will actually
mean bankruptcy for hundreds of middle
class citizens, these Will begin to dispense
with all labor which may be casual"
"A family which goes away for a holt |
day" continues Mr.. Schooling, mot know
ing whether the engagement of a man and |
his wife to look after it's house once a |
week be casual service, will not care to |
take any risk in this matter, and the care J