The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-12-28
President Insists That the Ma
tional Governmnt Should be
a Model Employer.
Congress Should Adopt Legisla-
ton Providing Definite Com
pensation for Accidents.

S~~~~ S]SVAS&AAA6 OVAAAAVV VV0
pensation for Accidents.
President Roosevelt's message to the
congress now in session is probably
the longest on record. He handles
every, question in that impetuous style
so characteristic of the man. One
thing about Roosevelt-he never leaves
any doubt in our minds as to what he
is driving at. Matters of great con-
Germ to the working people are dis
cussed. The following excerpts will be
Of special interest at this time to our
| readers in Duluth:
Employers Liability.
Congress should adopt legislation
providing limited but definite compen-
sation for accidents to all workmen
within the scope of the federal power,
including employees Of navy yards and
arsenals. In other words, a model en-
ployers' libaliity act, far-reaching and
| thoroughgoing, should be enacted,
Which should apply to all positions,
public and private, over which the
national government has jurisdiction.
The number of accidents to wage
"OA nSA 1AC4OUu1lS lIlOSc ClldL are pre-
ventable and those that are not, has
become appalling in the mechanical,
manufacturing and transportation op-
erations of the day. It works grim
hardship to the ordinary wage worker
and his family to have the effect Of
sucn an accident fall solely upon him;
and, on the other hand, there are whole
classes of attorneys who exist only by
melting men who may or may not
have been wronged to, undertake suits
! for gligence. 7s-5sgss:sts s.
| Payment Should Be Automobatic,
! AS a matter Of fact a suit for negli-
gence is generally an inadequate rem
edy for the person injured while it
often. causes altogether disproportion-
ate annoyances to the employer. The
law should be made such that the pay
ment for accidents by the employer
would be automatic instead of being
a matter for lawsuits. Workmen
should receive certain and definite
compensation for all accidents in in
dustry irrespective of negligence. The
! employer is the agent of the public
and on his own responsibility and for
his own profit he serves the public.
When he starts in motion agencies
which create risks for others he should
take all the ordinary and extraordinary
risks involved: and the risk he thus
at the moment assumes will ultimately
be assumed, as it ought to be, by the
general public. Only in this way can
the shock of the accident be diffused,
! instead of falling upon the man or
woman least able to bear It, as Is now
the case. By the proposed law en-
ployers would gain a desirable GER
tainty of obligation and get rid Of liti-
cation to determine it, while the work.
man and his family would be relieved
from a crushing load. With such a
policy would come increased care and
accidents would be reduced in number.
| Status of the Present Law.
The constitutionality Of the employ
ers' liability act passed by the preced-
ing congress has been carried before
the courts. In two Jurisdictions the
law has been declared unconstitutional.
and in three jurisdictions it's constitu-
tionality has been affirmed. The ques-
tion has been carried to the supreme
| court, the case has been heard by that
tribunal, and decision is expected at
an early date. . In the event that the
| o,1rt should affirm the constitutionaity
Of the act, I urge further legislation
along the lines advocated in my mes
sage to the preceding congress. The
:ractice of putting the entire burden
i OF loss to life or limb upon the victim
or the victims family is form of
social injustice in which the United
States stands in unenviable promin-
4 ence. In both our federal and our
4 state legislation we have, with few ex-
ceptions, scarcely gone farther than
the repeal Of the fellow-servant prin-
ciple of the old law of liability, and in
some of our states even this slight
modification has not yet been secured,
r. Since 1895 practically every country
! or Europe, together with Great Britain.
New Zealand, Australia, British Co.
lurnbia and the Cabe of Good Hone
has enacted legislation embodying in
lone form or another the complete rec
Ipgnition of the principle which places
upon the employer the entire trade risk
In the various lines Of industry. ]
urge upon the congress the enactment
Of law which will at the same time
bring federal legislation up to the
standard already established by all the
european countries, and which will
serve as a stimulus to the various
states to perfect their legislation in
this regard. r. = 451 r.. Z <>..-->
= IL Eight Hour Law. T
! The congress should consider the
| extension of the eight-hour law. The
constitutionality of the present law
has recently been called into question
and the supreme court has decided
Il tnat the existing leeislati on y sunquss-