Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-10-19

employer with or without justification
is based upon the practises obtaining
in Europe, and that these arguments
are being urged vehemently by "a Ger
tain class of lawyers by paid repre-
sentatives of Indemnity insurance
companies aided and abetted by u
sidized agents of labor unions we
submit to your judr'ment the wisdom
of acceding to such demands.
On the other hand, comparing the
scale of wages paid In all industries
in the United States. with those paid
in England, Germany or France, it
would not be unreasonable for your
commission to report an amendment
TO the present act providing for a COM
pulsory system of employees liability
insurance; it would also be advisable 10
report in favor of an amendment to
the present law to provide for the
appointment of an employers liability
commission; the members of which to
be employers; such commission TO h.
clothed with all the powers of direct
ing the inspection of factories and
workshops. and of deciding all ques-
tons having to do with equipment.
safety devices and appliances.
It is within your province to con-
slider a further amendment to the pres
ent statutes. which we urge you par
%ticularly to do; as a relief to present
onerous conditions. and as a means
toward preventing further impositions
and hardships being forced upon em-
ployers, to the injury of the industrial
interests of the State; by providing for
a division of the costs Of liability i'm
posed through the courts, the sugges-
ton being offered for the State to as
sumo one-half, the other half to be
divided between the employer n en-
ployees.
State Has Direct Interest.
And, in explanation, it is well to offer
that the State has a direct interest, be-
cause of its responsibility to care for
its dependent and pauper citizenship,
and with the State a party to the la
bility, our lawmakers would be less
likely to listen to the clamor for a
lobby for class legislation tending to
destroy the real source of prosperity.
Another amendment which we would
urge you to consider, in order to
eliminate mercenary influence from the
problem, is providing for the settle
ment of all liability cases between en-
ployers and employees by arbitration
in such a way that the decision of the
arbitrator and their award shall be
final and binding without appeal. IN
so doing a large part of the present
cost can be cut out, to the financial
benefit of the interested parties.
Relief Associations.
AS to the value of relief associations
O. employees: We recognize there are
large benefits which accrue to a num-
Der Of individuals Joined together in
mutual association to protect in times
of want and to provide in cases of
necessity, but we are not agreed that
this form of protection will in any way
tend to bring about a solution of the
question.
In most cases the number of men so
banded together is too small to permit a
proper distribution of the hazards. 1t
is also our experience that in most
cases benefit associations among en-
ployes are part, at least, supported by
the employers. We believe If a spirit
of self-reliance can be developed among
men of all classes it will END to lessen
the liability to accident, create a larger
personal responsibility and make for a
greater safety to life and limb in every
and all lines Of trade, industry and
commerce.