Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-07
RADICAL RAILROAD
LAW PROPOSED
Representative Sabath's Per-
sonaI Injury Bill Before
Present Congress.
MAKES SWEEPING CHANGES
Would Ovcrturn Present Employers
Liability Law and Compel
Companies to Pay.

Washington. Feb. 6-Onc OF the
most radical pieces of proposed legis-
lation before the present Congress, and
one which heretofore has not occupied
much attention, Is now being given
serious consideration by the Judiciary
committee OF the house and hearing on
1t has been ordered for Feb. IL. to
which number of prominent railroad
men of the country have been invited.
1t is the bin introduced by Repre-
sentative SABBATH of Illinois, which VIII
require all persons carrying on oc-
cupations and trades subject to the
regulative power of Congress" includ-
Ing railroads, express companies. and
sleeping car companies. to pay COM
pensation on a fixed basis to injured
employees. The legislation. II enacted,
would oYerturn the present employers
liability law. and, In fact, revolution
ize the existing system of indemnity
for personal injuries.
The bill defines the amount OF COM
pensatlons TO be paid by employers to
employees, In cases OF injury or death,
basing 1T upon the amount of the pre-
vIous earning power OF the victim. and
provides that 1t shall be paid In the
form of an annuity. The bill Is based
upon the laws of England and Ger
many. Such legislation was favored
In ono OF the messages of former Pres
ident Roosevelt, and President Taft
also is said to have commented favor
ably upon It,
AUTHORS LIFE WORK.
Mr.. SABBATH. author of the BILL has
been working on the idea for a number
of years, and has carried on n general
propaganda In its favor. He announced
at recent hearing on this bill that
when Ii was enacted Into law, he was
ready to retire from public life. salts
fed with his achievements
Tho bill is applicable to railroad and
steamship companies engaged in any
capacity in handling the mails OF the
United States. Even the United States
would be bound under Its terms to pay
compensation to its employees I'm the
postal service Injured or killed In the
performance of their duties
In the event of the death of an en-
ploye as a result of injuries. employers
would be required to pay an annuity
equaling 10 per cent of his average
monthly earnings to his family or next
of kin. Fifty per cent of the employees
maximum monthly earnings would be
paid In case of total disability. not eX-
ceeding six months. Beyond that length
of time. the injured employe would re-
ceive two-thirds OF the amount OF his
earnings.
The measure goes into the minutest
detail in regulating payment for In
Jurles specifying how much shall be
paid for the loss of an eye, an arm.
finger, a toe, loss or impairment of
sight, hearing or similar Injury. and
including medical surgical and hos
pital treatment. The loss of a toe is
fixed at per cent. Tho loss OF both
eyes at rs per cent. the loss of the
right hand at 60 per cent.
The bill would establish court to be
known as the federal commission of In
jury awards. The court would consist
Of three members. appointed by the
president. at a salary of $4,000 per
year, and would have full authority
TO inquire into and prosecute claims.
and to employ necessary assistants