The Detroit times., 1910-12-07

w0rksnea's Compensati0u.
In view of the keen. widespread In
terest now fels In the United States h
a system OF compensation for indus
trial accidents to- supp.ant our pres
ent thoroughly unsatisfactory system
or employers liability Ia subject tn
Importance OF which congress has al
ready recognized by the appointment o
international congress on Industrial In
surance be invited 20 hold it's meeting
a. 1913 in Washington. and that AT
appropriation of $4,000 be made &
cover the necessary expenses OF organ
izing and carrying on the meeting.
MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS NOT IN
CIUDED IN DEPARTMENTS.
Bureau Of He0lth.
In my message OF last year recon-
mended the creation OF a bureau o
health. In which should be embrace,
all those government agencies OUTSIDE
OF the war and navy department.
which are now directed toward tn,
preservation OF public health or exer
else functions germane to that subject
I renew this recommendation great,
regret that the agitation In favor o
this bureau has aroused counteragi
tation against its creation, on TIT
ground that the establishment OF sucl
bureau IN to be In the interest or I
particular school OF medicine. II scem
TO me that this assumption Is who'll!
unwarranted, and that those responsi
bic Tor the government can ne truste'
10 secure In the personnel or the pu
OF all recognized schools OF medicine
and In the management or the bureau
entire freedom frcm narrow prejndic'
In this regard.
Cisn Service Commission.
The civil service commission Ia
continued it's useful duties during th'
year. The necessity for the mainten
ance of the provisions or the ciNli-ser
Vice law was never greater than TO-DAY
entertain the profound conVictioi
that IL would greatly aid the cause o
efficient and economical government
and OF better politics II congress coui'
enact bill providing that the execu
tive shall have the power TO inciud
In the classified service all local onice'
under the treasury departm. mt, the de
partmcnt OF justice, the postonice de
paTtmcnt, the interior department., ah'
the department OF commerce and LABOR
appointments 10 which now require TN
confirmation OF the ssnate, anu ina
upon such classiflca the advice an'
consent of the senate shall cease TO %
required In such appointments. Is!
their certainty OF tenure. dependent oil
good service. and by their freedom
from the necessity for political actiN
ity. these local officers would be In
duced 10 become more efficient puph
servants.
Inquiry Into Economy IND Efficiency
The increase ia the activities ana ii
the annual expenditures OF the feoera
government has been so rapid ana -
great that the time has come 10 cneci
the expansion OF government actViGe
In new directions until we have teete.
the economy and efficiency with wnici
the government OF today Is being car
ried on. The responsibility rests upoi
the heGd of the administration. lie II
held accountable by the public an'
properly SO. Despite the unselfisil am
patriotic efforts OF the heads or depart
ments and others charged with respoh
sibility of government, there has grow
up In this country a conviction that th'
expenses or government are too great
The committees on appropriations o
congress have diligently worked TO re
duce the expenses OF government AM
have found their efforts often BLOCKED
by lack OF accurate information con
tanning a proper analysis OF require
ments and OF actual and reasonabi'
costs. The result OF this inquiry shoui'
cradle the executive IN his communi
cations to congress TO give information
to which congress is entitled ana whlci
viii enable II To promote economy.
have requested the hea def each de
partment to appoint committees 'oi
economy and efficiency in order 10 Sc
cure full cooperation in the movemen
by the employees OF the government
themselves.
Iurge the continuance of the appro
pfldtCtn or tlON,OVV EtqutStcu iVt Ni
fiscal year lelx
Ci,n service Retirement.
The Gillettsbill provides that the gov
erpment snail contribute to the pension
fund OF those employees who are nov
so advanced in age that their persona
contributions viii not be sufficient U
create their annuities before reachinl
the retirement age. In nay Judsinen
this provision should he amended 81
that the annuities OF these employe
shall be paid out OF the salaries appro
printed for the positions vacated b,
retirement. and that the difference be
tween the. annuities thus granted an
the SALARIES may be used for the EN-
ploymnt OF efficient clerks at the lowe
grades. II the bill can be thus amend
initiate "a valuable system and ulti
mately result in great saving In tn
public expenditures.
Interstate Commerce Commission.
There has not been time TO test TN
benefit and utility OF the amendment
TO the interstate commerce law col.
tanned In the act approved June Is
1910. The law As enacted did not con
tain all the features which l recon-
mended. IL did not specifically de
nounce as unlawful the purchase %!
one OF two parallel and competing
roads of the stock of the other. No
did II subject TO the restraining inHu
ence OF the interstate commerce com
mission the power of corporations en-
gagged in operating Interstate railroad
10 iss,U new stock and bonds; nor die
It authorize the making OF temporar!
agreements between railroads. Limited
to thirty days, fixing the same rates
for traffic between the same places.
| do not press the consideration o.
any of these objects upon congress a
this session. The object Of the frs
provision is probably generally covered
by the antitrust law. The second pro
vision was In tho act referred TO TN
consideration Of commission TO b'
appointed by the executive and TO re-
port upon the matter to congress. ina
commission has been appointed and !!
engaged in the investigation and con
sidcration OF the question submitte,
under the law. 1t consists OF Presiden
Arthur r. lIadley. OF Yale university
az chairman; Frederick G. strauss
Frederick y. Judson. Prof. Il. II. Meyer
and Walter L. Fisher, with William r.
8 Griswold Us secretary.
The third proposal led to SO mucf
miscunstruction OF It's object. as beint
that OF weakening the effect OF the an
ti-trust law. that ! am not disposed &c
press liz for further consideration. Il
was intended TO permit railroad com
panies to avoid useless rate-cutting by
a mere temporary acquiescence In The
same rates for tho same service over
competing railroads, with no obligation
whatever 10 maintain those rates fo'
any time.
safety Appliances md Provisions.
The protection OF railroad employc!
from personal injury is a subject oi
the highest Importance and demands
continuing attention. There have beer
two measures pending IN congress, on'
for the supervision OF boilers and tbs
other for the enlargement OF danger
Gus cIearances. Certainly some meas
ures ought to be adopted looking 10 .
prevention OF accidents from these
causes. il seems to me that with re-