The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-09-09

was not passed Since then the com
! panies In fault have ostentati0usly an
nounced that they have done away wit!
the Objectionable conditions. l hope SO
bat whether they have or not, law
should be passed in stringent form to pre-
vent any possible backslidng.
So 1t is IN the matter Of injuries to en-
ployees. In what is called "employer's
liability" legislation other Industrial coun-
tries have accepted the principle that the
| industry must bear the monetary burden
OF its human sacrifices. and that the en-
| ployee who is injured shall have a fixed
| and definite sum. The United States still
proceeds on an outW0rR and Curiously i'm
! proper principle. in accordance with which
| it has too often been held by the courts
! that the frightfuI burden Of the accident
| shall be borne IN its entirety by the very
! person least able TO bear II. Fortunately.
| in a number of states-n Wisconsin and
! in New York for instance-these defects
| in our Industrial life are either being
| remedied or else are being made subject
| of Intelligent study with q view TO their
! remedy. In New York bill enbOdyinS
moderate compensation for accidents has
already been passed. Other states Will
undoubtedly follow in the same path. The
Federal government has so far as ITS
own employees are concerned. been the
first to recognize and put into shape this
principle However, this pioneer law was
not made comprehensive enough; 1t does
not cover all the employees Of the Fed
eral government that ought TO come with
IN its provisions, and the amount paid for
permanent disability or death is entirely
inadequate. Nevertheless it was r great
step In advance to nave this principle OF
WorkingmenS compensation accepted and
embodied in the Federal statutes and the
recent action Of congress in providing for
a commission to study and report upon
the subject gives promise that the same
principle will soon be applied to private
firms that come within the jurisdiction Of
the Federal government.
Federation planks Approved.
Women and children should. beyond
all question. he protected: and in their !
cases there can be no question that the |
states should act. They should be par !
tcular objects of our solicitude; and they |
should be guarded in an effective fashion
against the demands Of too greedy com
merCialism. On my recent trip in the
neighborhood Of Scranton and Wilkes
barre every one spoke to agreed as to
the immense improvement that had been
wrought by the effective enforcement OF
the laws prohibiting children under the
age Of fourteen years from working, and
women from working more
than ten hours a day, Personally. I think
ten hours too long: but. be this as It may,
ten hours day was a great advance.
Among the planks In the platform OF
the American Federation Of Labor there
are some to which l very strongly sub
scribe. They are:
!. Free schools: free text books; and
education.
.. A work day Of not more than eight
Tours
3. Release from employment one day In
even.
EN-.
hop, mine. and home
g. Liability of employers for injury to !
ody or loss Of life |
Il regard the demand in this form as IN |
dequate. What we need is an automati- |
ally ived compensation for all injuries
sceived by the employee IN the course Of !
Is duty, this being Infinitely better for
1e employee and more Just to the en-
loyer The only sufferers will be law
ars Of that undesirable class which exists
liehy by carrying on lawsuits Of this
ature)
! TIE passage and enforcement of rigid
1H-child labor laws which will cover
'ery portion OF this country
3. Suitable and plentiful Fairgrounds |
r children In all the cities |
inasmuch as prevention is always best,
pecial attention should be paid to the
evention of industrial accidents by pass |
e laws requiring the use Of safety de- |
ces. At present the loss of life and |
NIB among the industrial workers Of the |
ntted States IS simply appalling, and |
cry year equals in magnitude the killed |
I'd wounded in a fair-sized war Most |
these casualties are preventabla and |
r legislative policy should be shaped |
cordinglv, It would be a good idea |
establish in every city q museum Of |
fety devices, from which the workers |
nli get drawings Of them and informa- |
n as to how they could be obtained and -
ed
The matter Of compensation for IN
res to employees IS, perhaps more i'm sc
'diately vital than any other The re- ia
TT OF the commission which has be- =,
n to look into this matter on behalf of 'i'
) New York legislature Is we'll worth Sc
'dfrg. The bill presented by the Fed
'tfon of Labor in Wisconsin on this ~
'tect seems excellent. In all dangerous
des the employer should be forced to A
are the burden OF the accident so that
shock may be borne by the commu-
y as whole. This would be a meas &C
of Justice in itself, and would do
ay with fruitful source Of antagon-
between employer and employed.
ur ideal should De a rate of wages ha
hrientlv high to enable worfmen to th,
IN manner confOrmable to American 49,
ais and standards. to educate their eo
Idren, and to provide for sickness and de
age: the abolition Of child labor. Sc,
ETY. device legislation to prevent in oe
trial accidents; and automatic COM VI
sation for losses caused by these in sol
trial accidents. ga,