Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-12-18
ASKS INSURANCE
FOR ALL WORKMEu
COMMISSIONERS OF LABOR ]. y
BECK ADDRESSES NATIoNSr =
CIVIC FEDERATION
WOULD GIVE POWER TO STATE
Declares Charitably Inclined par,,.
Would Be Compelled to Give Ia.,
to Maintain Poorhouses
WOULD GIVE POWER TO STATE
HE CITES CASE IN wIscouc,,

NEW YORK, Dec. 15.-"The c,u
pensation of Employees for Injuries pl
ceived While at Work." was taken h.,
d. Beck, commissioner of labor Of W.
consin, as the theme of his address l..
fore the National Civic Federation bss
today. After enumerating statistics ~
show that $4,000 individuals ara tm'S
and 100000 crippled annually in +Sa
United States while fulfilling the duf as
of their various occupations, Mr., Raw
pointed out that every civilized conntsA
in the world except the United Statos
had adopted some form of accident "
surance indemnifying workmen for IN
iuries while at work.
Mr.. Beck gave as his conviction tbo.
the beneficial results which have f %
lowed the adoption of workmen common
sation laws abroad, particularly in Ear.
many and Great Britain, would follow
the adoption Of similar laws in this conn.
try.
Cites Wisconsin Case.
"In Wisconsin," said he "all tho M
litical parties that will be Represented IN
the next Legislature are pledged toI
some form of accident insurance law
IF the employee and his family are M,
receiving compensation in some propO.
ton to the dangers to which he is sinh,
iected; it the employer after being com.
PEELED to pay the excessive rates of AZ.
cident insurance companies, due 70 tba
wasteful methods of these companies il
still open to attacks of unsCrupulmS
lawyers and is compelled to fight casa
after case through the courts; if society
as whole, and those who are charitahIvl
inclined are compelled to maintain moor.
houses. free hospitals and other char.
table institutions for the maintenancpof
the thousands of unfortunate victims AZ
modern industry; if the national work.
ing capital of the United States is be-
ing used up to the extent of 30ml
lives per year, some form of remedial
legislation cannot be enacted day too
soon. The question is Will statel
supervised accident scheme remedy the
evil?"
Mr.. Beck did not think so.
The general proposition of some SYSTEM
of workmen's compensation being deSir.
able, he found hardly a debatabe one
however.
Two Systems Suggested.
''In formulating a plan,' said he, I'VE
are confronted with the alternative Of
adopting compulsory or voluntary Sys
tenn. England has today the compulsory
system, while that submitted by the ILL.,
nois commission was purely voluntary
1t said to the employees, you may make /
a contract whereby your employer in +
sures you and you in turn give up your
right of suit
Those who favor the compulsory sys
tenn advanced the theory that it includes
the employers who are not public spirit +
ed, as we'll as those who are, that it
brings in the thriftless as well as theT
thrifty employee; that it would give
broader basis for equalizing the shocks B
that is, with a large number of persons
insured there would probably be more
regularity in the accident rate and
smaller expense rate, while voluntary
system does not possess these advan
tages.
Mr.. Beck was fearful, however, that
the courts might decide the compulsory
system unconstitutional. On the Other
hand, he believed that voluntary Ts
tenn could be made to serve every pu' /
pose served by a compulsory system
Saves Rights of States.
Mr.. Beck added
Instead of the state abridging tRA
right of contract, it could say to both the
employer and the employe, We will give
you the right to contract between your.
selves to the effect that each Of you, maSI
contribute a sufficient sum to enable lhV
employee to be justly compensated for IL,
juries received while in the service d
the employer, and the employer on Tue is
ether hand, to be released from Ilaolll!
for damages The state could also aOg-
ish the doctrine of contributory neHn
gence and the fellow servant doctrine ~
a defense by the employer and reuure
the compensation for injuries to the en
ploye who failed to contribute his snare,
The administrative machinery neCrS
sary for the operation of this Sy ;1 Rs
said Mr.. Beck in conclusion, would N
left for the state to maintain