United labor bulletin., 1909-12-10
EMPLOYERS LIABILITY
The Cherry DisaSter--Criminal Statues
Do Not Protect Employees.
COMPENSATION DOES PROTECT.
BY C.. #. IR WIN.


contrary. the law the
employer the right decide under what conditions their work shall be
employed work unsafe place and with
dangerous implements without liability OF the employer Tor
sustained by workmen because of the hazards Of the business which
they have chosen take other words emPoye enters upon the
with knowledge of knowledge of the risks involved he
regarded having voluntarily incurred them
In has begun dawn that the employer
person the safety of employees but that both the
empoe and the public have that should regarded AS result
of this partial awakening of the public have been enacted
prescribing which the employer required
safety his employees Most of these make
dsobey But little however has been paid providing
such The vitality of penal
depends their enforcement he eea OF such statutes measured by
certainty their penalties being imposed of avail penal
provision made tina, they
Let us illustrate by the reeen, disaster Cherry
Illinois coal be lighted with electricity
punsing thereof: also ventilation and
dns punishment thereof also shafts
proper employees of FIRE; also
fans which shall keep the air free from particles coal dust and
and Furnishing the violation thereof also forbddns child
punisng The evidence introduced the
inquest ha, all of these had been aasranty violated and that
the disaster Cherry would not have happened The
that started by boy of Is who working
b ne in violation Of the ebdb law was the duty of the boy
push empty shaft the second the
The boy ordered push loaded with hay
the elevator shaft left standing
blazing torch which snted the hay This the first bale hay he had
He avoid the danger Of FIRE The
nted Of employees resulted The evidence shows that
the ehdabor aasrsny violated this that torches had for
months generally evidence shows that the violation
law above mentioned and welknown
the fire. and the shaft constructed of wood instead
o incombushbc material
Illinois provides for and preseHbes
their duty that the laws enforced
bu inspectors generally their political pull The
poahons always politics and generally what they want In this
Inspector Hudson testified before the tina,
he Inspected July and did know that the laws of
being violated Whether he knew of the violation not his
interest evidently complaining the violations and
Criminal for the Of employees good enough
they they ought much farther than they do but they
practically little unless they contain making the
Of employees themselves the machinery of the criminal law
notion making possible the employees through the machinery of the
law require the enforcement of such statutes
may nothing law prevent
their employers for violation of
the for their Blu,
tells that empe who should file criminal information such
would be summay discharged He cud also be baced There
should be substantial cash bonus eonooeon to the
the public safety should be evidence that he had been pu,
upon blacklist enhle him sufficient adequately
compensate The passed by the Illinois Legislatures for
the OF but to catch the They do not
employees choose whether they will work
afford them protection because the corporations
have taken pains the evils such
rected only hope
control large portion of the and prosecuting officers Employees
complain that the criminal statutes violated that the mines
not safe complain forfeit their Jobs and be the black
Mine know that they sued for damages where
they openly nooous and hsranty violated the criminal
which for the safety of employees they will have complete
defense existing by pleading that the employee knew of the
danger voluntarily assumed the risk Phan,hropis and
formers the doctrine of implied of risk ought
be abolished by statute the legislative halls of
America prevented abolition of this babarus doctrine called
of implied of risk babu because doctrine that
middle ground civilization and babarm
Surely law which permits to habuay and openly
and by of such violation
to wany slaughter four hundred than half civilized Any
law that will such that he has legal obsa
support whom he has injured such and those who
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