The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-12-08

AA'lNhi ~ lt'IilfN lllbN llINNl IsNIOIHuU
governments have found themselves
obliged to adopt
our present system. or. rather no
system. works dreadful wrong and is
Of benefit to only one class OF people
the lawyers. When workman Is
injured what he needs * not an cx.
penSive and doubtful lawsuit. but the
certainty ~ relief through immediate
administrative action The number ~
accidents which result IN the death or
Gripping Of wageworkcrs In the Union
nt large is simply appalling IN very
Few years It runs up total far In cN-
cess NJ the aggregate Of the dead and
wounded In any modern war No
academic theory about freedom ~
contract or constitutional liberty to
contract" should he permitted to I'm.
terfere with this and similar move
ments. Progress In civilization has
everywhere meant limitation and
regulation Of contract | call vour
especial attention to the bulletin Of the
bureau Of labor which gives state.
ment OF the methods Of treating the
unemployed In European countries as
this Is subject which in Germany
for instance. Is treated In connection.
with making provision for wornout
nnd crippled workmcn
Pending n thoroughgoing invcStira
lon and action there is certain legis-
lation which should be enacted at
once. The law passed nj the last ses-
sion of the congress granting com
pensation 90 certain classes Of en-.
ployees Of the government should he
extended 10 include all employees OF
the government and should be made
more liberal in Us terms There is no
good ground for the distinction made
In the law between those engaged In
hazardous occupations and those not
SO engaged II man is injured or
Killed In any line of work Il was
hazardous in his case Whether | per
cent or 10 per cent Of those following
given occupation actually suffer Ia.
Jury or death ought not To- have any
bearing on the question Of their re-.
ceiving compensation. II is grim logic
which says TO an injured employee or
TO the dependents of one killed thnt he
or they are entitled 10 no compensa.
tlon because very few people other
than he have been injured or killed in
that occupation Perhaps one " the
most striking omissions I'm the law IL
that II 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 act
providing compensation should he
made more liberal than In the present
act a years compensation Is not
adequate for wage earncr'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 acct
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 It's employees compares most
unfavorably with that OF every coun-
try In Europc-even the poorest.
The terms of the act are also
hardship In prohibiting payment In
cases where the accident is in any
way due to the negligence of the en-
ployee II Is Inevitable that daily IA
millarity with danger will lead men 90
take chances that can be construed
into negligence. So well is this recog-
nlzcd that I'm practically all countries
in the civilized world. except the Unit
ed States. only great degree Of ncgli-
Af a In non nj lYtf
pensatlon. Probably I'm no other re-
spcct Is our legislation. both state ana
national, so far behind practically the
entire civilized world as I'm the matter
OF liability and compensation for ac-
cldents in industry. II is humiliating
that at European international con
crosses on accidents the United States
should be singled out ms the most hc-
lated among the nations I'm respect TO
employers liability legislation. This
government Is itself n large employer
of labor. and In It's dealings with its
employees It should set standard I'm
this country which would place II on
n 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 I'm Il recent bulletin Of the F.
bureau Of labor, and no American who
reads this summary can fail To hc
struck by the great contrast between
our practices ana theirs a contrast
not In any sense TO our credit
The congress should without further
delay pass model employers liability
law for the District Of Columbia. The
employers liability act recently de-
clared unconstitutional on account ~
apparently including in Its provisions
employees engaged In intrastatc com
merce as well as those engaged in in
terstate commerce has been held by
the local courts TO be still I'm effect 50
far as its provisions apply to the Dis. |
trlct OF Columbia. There should bc no |
ambiguity on this point II there is
any doubt on the subject the law
ghnuId { ha ra-nnoptnI ,,rf,I, g,,..f,I