The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-19
10 cARE FoR ITs INJURED
Steel Trust To lnausurate New Pro-
tectlve Policy.


The United States Steel Corpora
ton. following its recent announce
ment of a general increase i'm the
wages, is out with another announce
ment of equal importance TO It's EN-
ployes, more particularly to those
who are directly engaged in its
plants. The corporation has decided
to put in force at once a system of
pensions and disability payments for
dependents of this killed while in its
employ and of disability payments of
the injured.
Subsidiary companies have for
years paid benefits to the families of
men killed and to injured workmen.
which, Judge Gary said yesterday.
have amounted to more than 81 ,OOO,-
900 year, but the new plan involves
no contribution from the men them
selves, and is more comprehensive
and systematic
and disabled employees is also under
consideration, and will be put in
force soon.
This action was looked upon in
wall Street yesterday as another
move in the steel corporations policy
of keeping its men loyal and circum.
venting Socialistic and labor union
arguments. All the concessions to-
gether, it Is thought in the Street
viii have the effect of disarming the
Central Federation of Labor, which
has been importuning the Washing
ton authorities against the Steel
Trust, and at the same time, II is pre-
dicted, will forestal employers H.
ability legislation. The rates of paw
ment to the men are explained in de.
tail in this statement, which is Off
cial:
Since December, 1908, officers of
the United States Steel Corporation
and subsidiary companies have been
developing a plan for relief of men
injured and the families of men
Killed In work accidents. A plan has
now been adopted and will be nut in
to operation at once. This is a pure
~ voluntary provision for Injured,
men and their families, made bv the
companies without any contribution
whatsoever from the men. In prin.
ciple il is similar to the German and
other foreign laws and to recommen.
dations which have been made by the
Employers Liability Commissions of
New York and other States since our
work upon this plan was begun.
Under this plan relief will be paid
for temporary disablement and for
permanent injuries and for death
The relief Is greater for married men
than for single men. and increases
according TO the number of children
and length Of service. During TEN.
| porary disablement single men re-
ceive 30 per cent OF their wages and
| married men 30 per cent with an ad.
| diiional . per cent for each child nm.
| der sixteen and per cent for each
year OF service above five years. Fol.
| lowing the provisions OF all foreign
laws and all legislation suggested in
this country there is a period of ten
! days before payment of relief begins
For permanent injuries lump-sum
payments are provided. These are
based upon The extent to which each
injury lnterferes with employment
and upon the annual earnings of the
men injured. In case men are killed
IN work accidents. their widows and
children will receive one and one-half
years wages, with an additional 10
per cent for each child under sixteen
and 2 per cent for each year OF ser.
vice OF the deceased above FIVE years.
For some years the subsidiary
companies Of the United States Steel
Corporation have been making nav,
ments 10 men injured and families OF
men killed In practically all cases
without regard to legal liability
These payments have amounted &c
more than 100000 a year. but II IS
believed that the plan now adopted
viii result In additional benefits. II
should be understood that these nay
ments are for relief and not as com
pensatlon. There can be no real com
pensatOn for permanent injuries. ant
the notion OF compensation Is neces
sarily based on legal liability, which
Is entirely disregarded in this plan
and all men are 10 receive the relic
even though there be no legal liabil
ity to pay them anything. which &
the case In at least a. per cent. o
all work accidents.
Experience will perhaps lead L
some notifications OF this plan, bu
II will be In operation for one yea
from May l. 1910. and II II meet
with success and approval from IN
men and the public Il Is hoped tina
similar and possibly improved plan
may be adopted In succeeding YEAR,
4 1T is our purpose by this plan {
s treat employees fairly and generousl
>. even under the most enllghtene
view OF an employers responsible,
u Also for the period first above r,
$ forred to there has been under col
sideration plan for the paymer
n OF pensions TO disabled or superal
nuated employees, and II is expecte
: this will soon be put into practices
,. effect"
n The International Harvester cor
pany's intention to put In force n sy
tenn OF relief payments and pension
= has been discussed In dispatch,
from Chicago and the National Met
Trades association. which closed
two days convention here on Thur
day, considered plan similar TO tn
announced yesterday by the Ste
Corporation as a more efficient sy
tenn than the employers liability