The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-05-12
SERVANT
 RULE ATTACKED
Judge EpaphrOditus Peck, Yale Profes. sor, Leads Supporters of Employers Liability Bill.
Charles E. Gross, Appearing for Manu. facturers' Association, Opposes - 'Connecticut Has Reputation of Being a Slaughterhouse," Says Lawyer Hamilton,


 committee had hearings yesterday on five bills relating to the liability of en- ployers or kindred subjects, sbut prac- t1cally all the hearing was centered upon the bill presented by the special committee on the subject, consisting of E.. M. Day of this city, B. Allen Moore Of New Britain and Charles J. Dona- hue, of Derby. MT. Donahue, who was present for the State Federation of La Dor. said that the labor organizations or the state had agreed not to send a delegation to the hearing, but had agreed to have Judge Epaphrodftus Peck of Bristol explain the proposed measure.
 Judge Peck said that he felt an es- pecial interest in the subject because during his work as a, professor in the Yale Law School he had given much attention to the matter of the relations of master and servant. There were two reasons, he said, why the bill should have especial consideration, one the able report presented by the spe- cial committee and the other the strong recommendation contained in Governor Lilley's message.
 The fellow servant rule, Judge Peck said, is not founded in justice or in public policy; it implies contract it and it has been criticised by the very courts enforcing it in their decisions. Bills affecting it have been pending be- fore Congress and before nearly all the state legislatures in the country for the past ten years and yet this coun- try stands, so far as this matter. goes, with Turkey and Russia and behind all other civilized nations Judge Peck said that he recommended the abOli- tion of the fellow servant rule, believ- ing that such action would be just and should be taken. To take this atti- tude would be to take one alike easy to explain and to defend.
 Lawyer Charles s. Hamilton of New Haven followed in support of the bill presented by the commission, saying that the fellow servant rule is an "an- tiquated humbug,' adding that through its operations it is impossible decisions of the Supreme court, sne in Julia against the Stony Creek Red Granite Company and the other in Mo Queeney against Norcross Brothers. The operation of this rule, MT. Hamil- ton said, has given this state the repu- tation of being a slaughterhouse.
 c. J. Donahue closed for the bill, making an earnest and conservative plea for it, also asking for tho aboli- tion of the fellow servant law, saying that conditions have so changed since it's formation that it is now manifest ly unjust. The working man ought not to be called upon to bear the entire burden resulting from accidents for
 
 of injustice resulting from its opera tiOnS does more to foster socialism than any other law or practice
 Charles B. Gross of this city, ap- bearing for the Manufacturers Asso- citation, opposed the bill, though he said he heartily commended the re- port of the special committee down to the point where it's bill begins. So far as the manufacturers are concerned he opposed the abolition of the fellow servant rule and he asserted that to abrogate it would be to multiply in geometrical ratio the pace toward bankruptcy of the manufacturers. It is not just to compel a master to pay for the injury of a servant when the master is blamelesS and thus send the master into the bankruptcy courts.