New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-17
ENLIGHTENED POLICY.

States Steel Corporation will voluntarily
assume liability for all injuries suffered
hv employees i'm the line Of duty presages
widespread readjustment of the pres
ent unsatisfactory system Of compen-
satinC workers who fall victims 10 an
industry's natural risks. Misled by an
excessive devotion 10 the principle az
individua lism. American practice has
tended 10 minimize the liability If the
employer-or. rather. the liability OF the
industry-for injuries suffered i'm its nat
ural course. and thrown the greater part
Of the burden Of protection and relief on
the Overwcighted employe. The obi ga
tion Of the employer TO make compenSa-
ton for the death or crippllng Of men
working under him has been narrowly
limited. and the victims 81 accidents
have been compelled 10 60 into court %
prove his negligence and their Just
claims TO indemnification The co1lse-
quence has been that employers and
employees have bee forced into an UNI
necessary attitude Of mutual anita gonism
and have come n regard the settlement
OF claims for injury as q struggle be
tween conflicting personal interests,
whereas il ought 10 be regarded merely
as a cooperative effort 10 charge TO the
cost Of n business one Of it's necessary
clements Of waste. Moreover, il has by
fostering litigation diverted to attorneys
a large percentage of the fund which
ought 20 go 10 the relief OF the depend
eDt and the disabled.
rFst.- s-,4 i.,ra
takes step not only humane. but eco
nomicaliy wise. when il offers 10 forc2o
its legal defence against claims for in
Jury and 10 deal directly with its en-
ployes in measuring and paying acct
dent liabilities. Ii promises 10 make
stipulated compensation 10 the disabled
and 10 their families the amount being
determined 10y the extent of disable
ment. length Of service and the number
81 persons dependent on the victim. The
allowances are undoubtedly more liberal
than the total Of the court verdictS So
cured against the corporation for a given
period would he Yet il must be rcmcm-
bcred-as was pointed out Yesterday in
an instructive letter 10 The Tribune
written 10y 4 manufacturer of Roches-
ter-thaf adverse court vCrdictS do
not mea sure the full cost 10 an employer
OF his liability for injuries He must
pay the expenses Of litigation and must
allow somewhat higher wages because
he throws the onus of collecting COM
pcnsation on the workman The injury
fund must lac maintained out Of some
body's purse. II is much larger now
than il seems 10 bc. because accident
insurance premiums and lawyers fees
eat up considerable sums which are nos
charged directly 10 the injury fund Of q
given industry. II the employer dealt
directly with his employees. charging .osS
through accidents 10 The business. there
would be "a much larger sum available
for decentralization than there is under
the present system. What is now wasted
through lack of cooperation would ma
terially help both employers and en-
ployed.
President Taft put the matter con
ciscly not long ago i'm speech Il
Worcester. Mass. To a gathering of rail
road men. He said:
am hopeful indeed. that before many
adopt system Of arbitration in the in
terstate commerce railways BY which
there shall be settled promptly on rules
/ specified within the same degree OF Ger
/ tainty that they are specified in an in
sUranCe policy. how much = man shall
receive for an injury proportionate 20 the
wages that he gets. proportionate TO the
disa bling character % the injury. 50 that
IN shall los uniform. 50 that one man
shall not receive So. 600 for a railroad
spine which passed away under the
kindly influence "f 4 large verdict. aud
the fellow both Of whose legs we're cut
Of shall go without anything because Il
ha opened that his injury Was due. in
some respects. 90 his own negligence.
IN other words I think We ought - have
2 uniformity If award dispatch and
ouiclness ina award. so that the lawyers
NAV be clirninated-snd 7 sm lawyer
lnyself-aud that the money MAY go di
rectly IN the object 20 which il ought o.
he devoted.
The President was speaking Of the
compulsory liability Of railroads engaged
IN interstate commerce which Congress
is about Ia establish But the principle
holds good for all forms Of commerce
and industry. IL throws the obligation
% make compensation for injuries where
il equitsbly belongs-on the operating
fund Of the business itself
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