New-York tribune., 1909-11-12
WOULD CHANGE LAW
INJUSTICE TO L.fBOR.
so Efperts Say of En- ployers'
Liability Statute.

seth Low. presideutfof the National civic
RECREATION. and H. Tecumssh sherman. fe--
"ier Commissioner u Labor OF New York.
We're the principal witnesses before the
commission on Employers Liability and
causes of Industrial Accidents, Une,uploy-
Hent and Lack of Farm Labor. appointed
~ Governor Hughes. which held lis mrs.
meeting in the City Han yesterday morning.
AR Low made strong plea for a change
IN the present system or indsmnifying in
9ufed employees. He suggested that the
commission should cooperate with the other
states n the adoption Of a uniform law
Travis H. whitney, secretary of tie Pub
nc Service Commission. gave some figures
which seemed astounding 70 the members
% the commission. He said that In twenty one
months T,Il4 OF the 81. eoo employees OF the
railroads IN New York CITY. other thar
steam roads. we're injured. or ar the rate OF
every en'plove Cnce IN about eight years.
Nany statistics were presented by witnesses
a show hoV small a proportion OF the total
indemnity vas received by rhe injured per
son after the cost cf litigation. fees ana
expenses had been aeeuoted
The present law on this subject" said
M sherman is an outrage in theory snd
baFbaric IN practice"
The commission - eompased ef Senator
J Atayhew WainWright chairman. senator's
Frank G. Platt and Howard r. Bayue. As
semhlymen Alfred L. Love. George A. Voss-
Frank B ThoFne. Cy-Fus ". Phillips and
Edward ID jackson. and tie following per
sonal appoinrses OF Governor HUGHES Hen
r. r. Seager. George u. smith. PhiIip Titus.
otto n Eidiitz. John Mitchell and Crystal
Eastman A. the outset counsel 20 the com
niissien- Joseph Cotton. jr. said that tho
commission had examined foreign law On TN.
subject and had carried on hundreds Of in
Festisaiions as 20 the results OF industrial
accidents He read q number of letters
from railroad companies and later unions
layoring q change in the law.
br f. T Dsvine. general secretary of
the Charity Organization Society OF New
York, was the iFst witness His testl-
mony Wss largely confined 10 the appIi-
cations for charity received by the So
eiety from injured employees In some
cases, he said. little or no restitution was
made, because of a hurried settlement,
SMILE IN other Instances thousands Of dol
lars IN damages which had been awarded
Aiisanfs By The courts dwindied 10 al
most nothing as result OF the laws de-
lay and the lawyers fees. This state Of
1NAt-r +-N 70 frEE-fa ana EFuIk-
enness- lie said that the remedy vas 10
Ripe out the present IaW entirelv.
Mr- Low IN answer 20 the registry
clerk question as 10 his occupation, re-
piled that he was a farmer He drew on
lis personal experience TO give the facts
about the lack OF fsrm labor and the agri-
cultural status in general lie also spoke
or tie liability laW. MF Low said
s-7,ooe,6oe was paid annually in the
nited states by employers for indus
trial Insurance OF this vast sum 20
per cent went 20 brokers' 20 peF cent
went for maintaining the Insurance Offices:
:" per cGat for The expenses Of the
litigation between the companies and the
claimants 20 per cent 10 the latter's
counsel. and 20 per eent 10 tae persons
Injured
Mr sherman went into 3 thorough dis
eussion OF the employers liability laws
in the countries Of Western EuraDe
pointing out the benefits and advantages
and also some q tie objections 10 the
adoption Of such laws IL lhe United states
without modification.