Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-09-07

I that the frfghtfui burden Of re accident
] shall be borne IN itc entirety BY tbs very
/ person least able 10 bear IT. Fortunately.
/ In a number Of states-in Wisconsin and
/ IN New York. for instance-these defects
/ in our Industrial life are either being
l remedied or elss are being made a subject
/ OF intelligent study with a view 70 their
remedy. In New York a bill emoodying
| moderate compensation for accidents has
I already been passed. Other states VIII
| undoubtedly follow In the same path The
! Federal government has. so far as It's
own employees are concerned. been the
first to recognize and put into shape this
principle. However this pioneer Law was
not made comprehensive enough; IL does
not cover all the employees Of the Fed
eraI government that ought 10 come with
IN IT'S provisions. and the amount paid FOR
permanent disability or death Is entirely
inadequate. Nevertheless. IL was great
step in advance TO nave this principle or
workingmen's compensation accepted and
embodied in the Federal statutes. and the
recent action Of congress in providing for
a commission to study and report upon
the subject gives promise that the same
principle will soon be applied TO private
firms that come within the jurisdiction Of
the Federal government.
Federation Planks Approved.
Women and children should. beyond
cases there can be no question that the
states should act They should be par
ticular objecsH Of our solicitude; and they
should he guarded in an effective fashion
against the demands Of too greedy com
merciaIism. On my recent trip in the
neighborhood Of Scranton and Wilkes
barre every one I spoke to agreed as to
the immense Improvement that had been
wrought by the effective enforcement OF
the laws prohibiting children under the
age Of fourteen years from working, and
prohibiting women from working more
than ten hours day. Personally. think
ten hours too long: but. be this as II may.
ten hours day was a great advance.
Among the planks in the platform Of
the American Federation Of Labor there
are some to which I very strongly sub
scribe They are.
Free schools free textbooks: and
compulsory education.
2 work-day OF not more than eight
hours
2 Release from employment one day in
seven.
A. The abolition Of the sweat-shop sys-
tenn.
3. Sanitary inspection OF factory. work
shop, mine, and home.
s. Liability OF employers for injury to
body or loss OF life.
Il regard the demand I'm this form IS In
adequate. What we need is an automatic
cally fived compensation for all injuries
received by the employee I'm the course OF
his duty. this being infinitely better for
the employee and more Just to the EN-
ployer. The only sufferers will be law
yers Of that undesirable class which exists
chiefly by carrying on lawsuits of this
nature)
7. The passage and enforcement of rigid
anti-child labor laws which will cover
every portion OF this country.
s. Suitable and plentiful Fairgrounds
for children in all the cities.
fnasmuch as prevention is always best,
especial attention should be paid to the
prevention Of Industrial accidents by pass
ing laws requiring the use of safety de-
vices Al present the loss Of life and
limb among the Industrial workers Of the
United States Is simply appalling. and
every year EQUALS In magnitude the killed
and wounded in a fair-sized war Most
OF these casualties are preventable; and
our legislative policy should be shaped
accordingly It would be a good idea
TO establish in every city a museum OF
safety devices. from which the workers
could get drawings OF them and lnforma-
tion as to how they could be obtained and
used
The matter of compensation for in
juries 10 employees Is. perhaps more Inn
mediately vital than any other The re-
port OF the commission which has be-
gun 10 look into this matter on behalf OF
the New York legislature Is well worth
reading. The bill presented by the Fed
GRAFTON 81 Labor IN Wisconsin on this
subject seems excellent In all dangerous
trades the employer should be forced to
share the burden of the accident, SO that
the shock NAV be borne bv the commu-
nifty as n whole This would be a meas
ure OF Justice I'm itself. and would do
away with a fruitful source Of antagou-
ism between employer and employed
Our ideal should oe a rate of wages
sufficiently high 10 enable workmen to
live in a manner conformahle to American
ideals and standards. to educate their
children. and to provide for sick ness and
old age: the abolition Of child labor:
safety device gislation TO prevent In
dustrial accid g; and automatic com
pensation for losses caused by these In,
dustrial accidents