The Detroit times., 1910-12-15
EMPLOYERS FAVOR
GERMAN system.
H. B. Jog Discusses Proposed LA
bility Law; Will at First Apply
Only To Accidents.

ard Motor Car Co, in an address be-
fore members OF the Board OF Com
merce In the assembly room OF the
board, Wednesday afternoon, explain
ed the attitude OF the National ascot 4
alton OF Manufacturers toward the IL
ability employers In connection
with accidents TO employees. The ques-
ton was recently considered In a
meeting OF the executive committee OF
the association and an advisory board
o. leading manufacturers.
Mr.. Joy attended the conference
and his address was a review OF the Z
plans and methods adopted by the
executive committee. Mr.. Joy pointed
/. out that the association had determin-
ed TO support an employers liability
law which would be fair and adequate
TO employees in all branches OF trade.
He said in part
Il think that there Is no one In
business as an employer but realizes
the unfairness OF the present methods
or industrial insurance known as EN-
ployers' liability but accurate infor-
nation conditions has been lacking.
At the annual convention of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers In
New York last May our committee
had proceeded sufficiently far to cry
stalize into some resolutions the fol-
| lowing:
The present employers liability
laws are unsatisfactory, wasteful OF
life and money, slow in operation and
antagonistic 10 harmonious relations
between employers and wage workers.
An equitable. mutual. contributory in
| demnity system, automatically provid-
ing indemnity for victims of industrial
accidents, and their dependents, Is re-
Quired to reduce waste, litigation and
| friction, and to meet other require
ments or an enlightened industrial ma
| ton
I'VE sent abroad James E. Emery
and his delving into the English rec
ords, and Mr.. Sweetman's into tha
German statistics, have produced an
array OF facts which totally changed
the minds OF the other members or
the committee. We now feel that tho
only stand that the National Manufac-
turers association can take Is one for
accident insurance alone, leaving out
I OF consideration all sickness. invalid
ity and old age pensions. BY doing
that and retaining some OF the ideas
OF the English system and the Ger
man system. we can get here In Mich
iean, and in the other states a very
practicable. simple bass, eliminating
the litigation, delay aud attendant snf.
fering TO form of the application OF
compensation for injury which will
produce an untold amount of good.
And while 4 is gong to be far
more expensive for the employers, as
/ II shows on their records, in the end.
J 1t Will be a great benefit both to the
employers and TO the employees. En-.
ployers OF Germany universally said.
as the commissioners met them and
discussed the matter with them, that
not one OF them would be willing To
go back to the conditions that pre-
vailed before, and they feel that the
dement's 10 Germany, as a nation, are ,
great, and the efficiency OF her people I
as producers is greatly improved.
1T is the Judgment of our commit
tee that substantially similar condi-
tons can be produced in the United
! States; and that If We try to go as
far az they have in Germany in 20
years in one year, we will totally fail,
whereas, if we will take a start and
undertake the accident situation at
the present time but on the right
principle, in the course of time there
Will grow up the rest of the German
system, or its main ideas.
1T is clear that any action on the
/ part Of the state to provide for In
demnity or compensation as the result
of injury received is equivalent TO an
increase in the rate of wages. IL is
/ going to cost the employer more. The
cmploye is going TO get more That
! is going To be an additional cost upon
! the people. The cost of caring for an
! injured man is going to be spread
over society at large. as it very prop
erly should be.
Compensation must be assured or
/ il Lecomes an empty right and a USE
4 less remedy. II il is dependent upon
/ the solvency OF the employer, the po-
st.ou OF the employe OF the small
employer is not improved and the
burden of the large employer is i'll
creased Insurance alone insures SOL
vency and guarantees To the workman
and lessons the burden To the en-
ployer. Provision should therefore be
made whereby every employer OF la
boz shall satisfy the proper state au-
thoTities that the payment of the pre-
scribod compensation is assured 10 his
employees through one OF several meth
dds The employer. subject To the as
sumption of that responsibility. should
! be given the broadcast discretion.
believing In the cOntributory prin-
! ciplc of compensation, We advocate
maximum OF 90 2.3 per cent OF the
average weekly wage, but not more
than 1898 per week. nor for more
than 300 weeks for disability or DEATH
The compensation Tor permanent dis
ability, however. should increase IN
proportio nto the increased earning
power OF the injured contribution To
Dee paid on the basis OF - per cent by
the employer. and - per cent by tue
employe. the state 10 contribute the
cost OF administration
eu0pptSc