Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-07-20
WILL RE-DRAFT
INSURANCE BILLS
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE HEARS
REPRESENTATIVES OF LABOR
AND CAPITAL.
AIMS TO AVOID FAULTS OF ENG
LiSH PLAN OF WORKING
MEMS COMPENSATION.
Madison, July IA.


Another tentative bill for working
mems compensation in Wisconsin will
he the result of the two days session
just ended of the special legislative
committee on Industrial insurance.
Senators A. w. Sanborn and J. J.
Blaine and Assemblymen Wallace In
gals and Walter D. Egan met mere
with A. T. Van Scoy and Max W.
Babb, representing the Merchants and
Manufacturers association of Milwail-
kee, and Assemblyman Fred Brock
hansen and Attorney Michael Levin,
representing the Wisconsin state fed
GRAFTON OF labor.
As result OF the meeting of leg
islators with representatives OF capt.
tai and OF labor, the committees as
sistants win re.draft several sections
OF the tentative measures published
May 2S. Chief among these sections
will be those relating to the amount
of compensation, boards of arbitration
and the method by which manufacture
ers may come under the act. At all
times the committee, while DESTROYS
cs changing the present common law
defenses of employers In negligence
actions. has aimed to make the pro-
posed compensation law purely OPP
tional. The new bin will give EN-
ployers the option OF coming under
the compensation act or of taking the
risk of being sued under the modified
defenses as drafted by the commit
tee in March.
One Of the questions much debated
at the meeting just closed was the
question Of election by employees. I'm
der the English act the employee, upon
sustaining an injury, either accepts
the compensation provided under the
act Of 1906 or else sues the employer
II he loses his suit he may then claim
his compensation. This plan has been
SO unsatisfactory that the committee
desires to avoid IL. This idea has led
TO the plan of making employees elect
20 accept the compensation plan or
Csc stand upon theirs common law
rights al the time 81 hiring or at the
time the employer comes under the
act
Another of tae chief questions be-
fore the committee has been that OF
contributions TO an insurance fund
both by employers and employees.
Manufacturers in Wisconsin as q rule
insist upon Joint contribution, their
'hecry being that employees win in.
dulpe ID less malingering II they have
financial interest In the fund. The
labor federation, however, takes the
other view and claims that the cost
OF injuries should be horne by the va
rious industries and through them, by
society or the consumers. The labor
leaders maintain that the present cost
Of caring for industrial accidents is
greater than II would be under the
proposed system and in application
OF their view they point to the Wis
eonsin courts, Which continually are
flooded with personal injury suits to
be tried at public expense
The committee expects to have the
new tentative bills drafted within
two weeks, Then they will be submit
ted TO experts throughout the United
States and England with the idea OF
gaining advice and criticism. When
these criticisms and suggestions have
been embodied in the bills they viii
be published and sent broadcast
throughout the state In order that
manufacturers and all other employ
ers Of labor may become thoroughly
familiar with their provisions before
any final report is made