Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-08

bearing on the question of their re-
 ceivlng compensation. Itis grim logic
 which says to m injured employee or
 to the dependents of one killed thnt he
 or they are entitled to no compensa-
 ton because very few people other
 than he have been injured or killed in
 that occupation. Perhaps one of the
 most striking omissions In the Inv Is
 that 1t does not embrace peace officers
 and others whose lives may be sacri-
 feed in enforcing the laws of the
 United States. The terms of the net
 providing compensation should be
 made more liberal than In the present
 act A years compensation Is not
 adequate for wage earner's family
 in the event of his death by accident
 in the course of his employment. And
 in the event of death occurring say,
 ten or eleven months after the acci. dent the family would only receive as compensation the equivalent of one or two months earnings. In this respect the generosity of the United States toward its employees compares most
 unfavorably with that of every coun- try in Europe-even the poorest.
 The terms of the act are also a
 hardship in prohibiting payment In cases where the accident is in any way due to the negligence of the en- ployee. It is inevitable that daily fla millarity with danger will lead men to take chances that can be construed into negligence. So well is this recog- nized that in practically all countries in the civilized world, except the Unit ed States, only great degree of negli- gence acts as a bar to securing con- pensation. Probably in no other re- spect is our legislation, both state and national, so far behind practically the entire civilized world as in the matter of liability and compensation for ac- cidents in industry. It Is humiliating that at European international con gresses on accidents the United States should be singled out as the most be- lated among the nations fin respect to employers liability legislation. This government is itself a large employer of labor, and in it's dealings with its employees 1t should set a standard in this country which would place it on a par with the most progressive coun- tries in Europe. The laws of the United States in this respect and the laws of European countries have been summarized in recent bulletin of the bureau of labor, and no American who reads this summary can fail to be struck by the great contrast between our practices and theirs-a contrast not in any sense to our credit.
 The congress should without further delay pass a model employers liability law for the District of Columbia The liability act recently de- clared unconstitutional on account of including in its provisions engaged in intrastate com merce as well as those engaged in in- terstate commerce has been held by the local courts to be still in effect so far as It's provisions apply to the Dis trict of Columbia There should be no on this point. If there is any doubt on the subject the law should be re-enacted. with special ref erence to the District of Columbia. This act, however, applies only to em- ployees of common carriers. In all other occupations the liability law of the District is the old common law. The severity and injustice of the con- mon law in this matter have been in some degree or another modified in the majority of our states, and the only jurisdiction under the exclusive control of the congress should be ahead and not behind the states of the Union in this respect. A conprehen- sive employers liability law should be passed for the District of Columbia.
 I renew my recommendation made In previous message that half hofi- days be granted during the summer to all wageworkers in government em- ploy.
 l also renew my recommendation that the principle of the eight hour day should as rapidly and as far as prac. iicable be extended to the entire work being carried on by the government. The present law should be amended to embrace contracts on those public works which the present wording of the act seems to exclude.
 The Courts.
 most earnestly urge upon the con- Eress the duty of increasing the totally inadequate salaries now given to our Judges. On the whole, there is no body pf public servants who do as valuable work nor whose moneyed reward is so Inadequate compared to their work. with the supreme court, the Judges should have their salaries dou- bled. It is not befitting the dignity Of the nation that its most honored public servants should be paid sums so small compared to what they would earn in private life that the performance of public service by them implies an ex- ceedingly heavy pecuniary sacrifice.
 It is earnestly to be desired that some method should be devised for do Ing away with the long delays which now obtain in the administration of justice and which operate with pecul- far severity against persons of small means and favor only the very crimi- nals whom 1t Is most desirable to pun fish. These long delays in the final aanisions of cacoS m aizo in tho au1ro-