Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-10-18

were met with the demand for
authentic and verified statistics. In
the report of the commission there
is not one report of an accident
which cannot be fully substantiated.
A few words as to what the report
shows may be of value:
Six hundred and fourteen fatal
accidents are recorded. The fami-
lies of PA of these workers receiv-
ed nothing in return for the loss of
the breadwinner. One hundred and
eleven damage suits are pending in
court. Twenty-four cases have been
settled through court proceedings.
Two hundred and eigHty-one fami-
lies settled direct with the employer.
A further summary may be offer
ed: OF every 100 Industrial acct
dents, Is go into courts, seven are
lost and eight won. Ninety-two in
juries out of every 100 receive no
compensation. (This includes both
fatal and non-fatal accidents).
Another interesting feature is
this: A search through the records
reveal 50 fatal cases of recent date
In fatal cases, the usual defenses of
the employer-the fellow servant
doctrine, assumption of risk, etc.
did not apply or there would not
have been a recovery at all. For
these-the very pick of Industrial
cases-the average recovery for
death was only $1,S77.36. OF this
an average amount of $75O.95 was
paid to attorneys or expended in
court fees, etc, leaving an actual
payment of S1,126.41 to the family
of the dead worker. Thirty-four
widows were compelled to seek en-
ployment and IS children left school
to help keep the wolf from the door.
Nor is this the only complaint of
labor. Another section of the report
shows where one injured workman
is reemployed, two do not return to
their former employer. The aver
age age of workmen meeting with
accident is 80 years. Most of them
are married.
What Becomes Of Him!
What becomes of the injured
workman and his family-God only
knows.
The above is. only the faintest out
line of the woEk of the commission.
The report is valuable enough for
every delegate to take home and
study. 1t means a direct financial
return to every citizen of Illinois
if the text is understood. 1t means
civilization and progress and good
It means fewer hospi-
tails and poorhouses. 1t means food
and clothes and education for little
Issues are raised and pages are
printed and speeches are made on a
hundred subjects which becloUd the
issue. Workers have been guIled in
to following false prophets into the
of specious reasoning.
We are often robbed of just dues for
our labor, our liberties are restricted,
and our sensibilities degraded, but
until we crystaIize the attention of
our unions upon a proper valuation
Of human life. all else seems futile.
The State Federation of Labor
should demand the conservation of
life, surrounding our men,
Dership with every known safe
guard. This will reduce the num-
Der of injuries to a minimum. Then
throw the burden upon the industry.
While we may not realize ideal con-
iitions at once, we can at least place
our state in the forefront of progress
;ive legislation.
EmpsOyers' Liability Commission.
The labor members of the COM
mission were selected upon the rec
of their own organiza- |
ions. John Flora, carpenter, was
placed upon the commission at the |
equest of the Chicago Federation of |
labor, who had delegated the selec- !!
ion of representatives on the COM |
mission to their legislative commit |
ee. Mr.. Boyle was selected by the |
rational officers of the Switchmens |
lnion. Mr.. Carr was selected by the |
United Mine Workers. Mr.. Golden, |
vice president of the |
eamsters. and Mr.. German, presi- I
lent of the street car men of Peoria,
we're recommended by members of
heir crafts.
The first act of the secretary of !
he commission was to confer with |
Daniel L. Cruice, attorney for the
,hicago Federation of Labor. Attor-
ley Henry NJ. Ashton, who is the
egal representative for the Chicago
'eachers' federation as well as for
many other labor organizations, and
.ttorney Clarence barrow were also
allied upon to assist in drafting a
aw which would prove acceptable to
abor.
1 wish to state clearly and I'M
that it was upon the adj
ice of the attorneys named, gentle
len who are regarded as the fore
lost lawyers in their profession on
he subject, that a compensation law
-as attempted. The law originally
reating the commission was a meas
re agreed upon by the official rep
esentatives of the United Mine
Workers. the Chicago Federation of b,