The Washington herald., 1910-01-19

Addresses on various phases Of the
responsibility of employers for accidents
happening 20 workmen by Samuel Com
pers. John Mitchell. John Hays Hammond,
August Belmont. and others, strong
plea by Senator Root. of New York, for
the enactment of uniform laws as tar
as possible. by the States, as matter of
convenience, and the adoption of resolu-
tion indorsing the acts prepared under
the direction of the commissioners on
uniform laws. and urging that the States
which have not already done so Will with
out delay enact tne measures into law,
were the chief features Of the sessions
OF the National Civic Federation con-
ference held yesterday at the Arlington
Hotel
AS on the first day, there was large
attendance Of the delegates, and the re-
marks Of the speakers were closely fol-
lowed A feature of the conference is
the presence Of a number of notable
women from all sections OF the country.
and many of them are taking an active
part IN the deliberations
For Interstate Conferences.
Senator Root. who spoke at the after
noon meeting, suggested that each State
appoint, in such a way as it sees fit,
delegates 70 an interstate conference to
be held every year, these representatives
to be authorized TO consider important
interstate questions He pointed out the
good that had been accomplished by the
great international congresses. beginning
with the Vienna conference in 1915.
1T seems absurd" he said, that a
body Of forty-six States such as We have
in this country should not be able to do
Just what widely separated civilized
powers have done. I can see no reason
why the example OF the nations should
not be followed
since the fathers Of our country drew
up the Constitution many questions have
arisen which We're not issues at that
period. Is it necessary TO change the
Constitution in order that laws regard
ing them may be adopted? Shall each
State have laws Just as II there were no
bGpd between them? II is apparent there
is a wide field Of government activity
which belongs to the States and which
does not fall under the powers Of the
national government, but in which a
great variety of important legislation Is
necessary. affecting not only the indi-
vidual State which passes the law, but
a number OF sister States, and # is upon
that theory that we now are looking for
greater efficiency in lawmaking
Hopes Abuses VIII Cease.
7 have high hopes that we are on the
threshold Of some effective legislation by
al Of our States and tho removal OF many
evils and abuses that undoubtedly now
exist because Of the want Of discussion
and concentration of public opinion"
Samuel Gompers, president Of the Amer
lean Federation Of Labor. opened the dis
cussiOn on the subject Of Industrial ac-
cidents." He said there are more in
dustrial catasrophes in the United State-
than in any other civilized country. and
he thought this was due 10 the fact that
other nations employ means 10 prevent
accidents.
There IS IN Europe" he said, "a better
conception OF the responsibility of en-
ployers for the lives and limbs Of those
working for them. When American en-
ployers find it is as expensive 10 have
accidents as TO take precautions they
viii soon see to il that preventive meas.
ures are adopted. There is no interest
that is so greatly in need Of uniform legis
!auon as that Of the men who labor"
Origin of Equality.
Opening with the statement that the
United States is the only civilized nation
that still maintains the old relation be
tween employer and employe. Johr
Mitchell. the noted labor leader, con,
tinued:
The law Of this country fixing the reIa.
ton of master and servant was evolved
before there were any railroads, mines
factories, or mills, and only in the cas-,
or mines and factories has II been uOdf
fed. and then only slightly.
our laws in relation to the responsi
bilIty Of employers are uniform. but uni
formly bad. We ask for some system lfk,
that prevailing in the Old World w,
want a law that Will enable a workman q
receive a money recompense from his en-
plOyer Immediately after he is injured. O,
by which the family Of a man killed ma,
collect as soon as possible after his death
John Hays Hammond called attention
10 the fact that the recent disaster a.
the Cherry coal mine, in Illinois, had cost
the public for relief work more thar
$4,000. and that the coal company's ex.
penses would amount to more than $500.
600. making the total peCuniary loss. a.
a result Of the disaster, more than hal
a million dollars. He believed the number
OF fatal accidents could be reduced more
than IS per cent by raising the STANDARD
of safety. In 1908 there were mined in IN,
United States about 500.000.0O0 tons of coal
at cost Of 2,+5O human lives.
Mine Tragedies Increase.
There has been a steady increase durins
the last twenty years, Mr. Harmon,
said, in the number Of men killed in tn,
coal mines of this country for eac,
thousand employed. and in 1905 il real
lied the figure 800
II was pointed out that other nation,