The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-04-23
S0[ONS ARE SLOWLY
:ST|FL|NG W0RKMEN'S !:
COMPENSATION BILL

Il .
-. . WASHINGTON; D. c., April a.
The house committee on judiciary.
like a. pocket edition of the supreme
court, is gradually wearing out the
patience Of the representatives of the
railroad brotherhoods whose bill for
a Eworkmans compensation is being
heard, postponed, and in other. legal
ways slowly. strangled. I.
The pleas OF the workers represen-
tativesH are listened to- begrudgingly
ex-judges and ex-railroad attorneys
on the committee, with half-shut eyes
and wearied expressions, plainly show
the short shrift that will be given
to the measure when it is considered
in secret session.
. But let, counsel for the railroads
speak on the "unconstitutionality of
the revolutionary proposal to saddle
the burden of accident and death on
the EN- ployer" aud the congressman
wake up, nod their appreciation of the
argument and busily make notes of
the authorities quoted by the COM
pany's lawyer. :
Compensation Need is Recognized.
Albert A. Roe. representing the
trainmen and firemen, put the case
for the workers, before the commit
tee in words that left no question
as to their meaning: ,.-@ -.
1.-THE. wage workers of America
re cognize the crying need for legisla-
t!on that will establish a system Of
compensation for all-injuries as the
result 3f accidents inherent to indus
try. ~ ~ ~
1: s'"'Theses people, are. right and con-
gress has q duty to perform which
cannot, he evaded through the plea
of unconstitutionality. When the. peo-
pie, who are being wronged and suf-
fering under the weight of an unjust
burden, appeal for relief to the high
est: tribunal in the land 1t is poor con-
ISOLATION to be met by any such sub
terfuge as unconstitutionality, and al
though they. have been taught to re-
we're the institutions under which
they live, I submit that such rulings
will bring an adverse feeling on the
part of the people for the institutions
that their ancestors established and
that they have: been taught to hold
sacred. ~6s :.4g57..-~, = ...~
Economic necessity should at all
times form the foundation Of law,
and unless our constitutional system
and institutions are elastic enough to
meet the. constant changes In our in
dustrial system, let us discard them" "
What the Bill Proposes.
Representative Sabaths bill pro-
poses to change the basis of recovery
by an employe from that of neglig-
ence or fault Of the employer to that
of a risk of the industry. The exact
value Of each arm, leg, hand, foot.
eye, etc., is figured out as liability
of the employer. to be paid for by
him as he would for the breakage of
his machinery. II. t
f&t;e The orief Of H. v. Mercer, member
Of the Minneapolis employers COM
pensation commission, embraced the
legal argument, in favor of the bill
and quoted Justice McKenna as say
| ing: T"a.~. T.:.~. y. = 'E4' ~ .25H
I'VE are dealing with rights exer-
cised In quasi-public business, and
therefore subject to control in the
interest of the public. - p
I Still more radical were the quoted
words Of Justice; Holmes who even
advocated government. support Of
trades unions: s~'as,~E/ g.: 'E*=.~ s
" But I#could not pronounce it un-
warranted If congress should decide
that to foster strong union was for
the best interest not only of the men
but Of the railroads and the country
at large"' x. : ##J< &.=
SUCH judges and such opinions are
as scarce as the proverbial ''hen's
teeth. and that the workmen's COM
pensation bill is to 3 be sand bagged in
committee is the belief of Washing
ton labor leader. 3g AL 80 55fs. S.,