The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-07
New Indiana Statute Never
Before Equaled in This
Country and the Labor
Chiefs Are Happy.
NO LOOPHOLES FOR
EMPLOYER VISIBLE
Story of Success of Measure
Is of One of Smoothest Bits
of Legislation in the States
History.
palladium SpociaD

indianapolis. March THE most
drastic workmen's compensation law
in America was written in the statutes
Of Indiana by the legislature which
closed Monday night. IL was passed
without comment, received never a
complaint In committee. and. as "A mat
ter OF fact. not one member OF the
legislature probably knows that he
helped put tho law on the books.
u ~ embodied in section of Sen
ate bill No. 3SS. introduced by Senat-
or Stotsenburg by request. Taken in
connection with the employers liabil.
ity law. IL makes the most stringent
law for the benefit of injured work.
ingmen ever enacted i'm the United
States.
The employers liability law in brief
makes the employer responsible for
all violation of law. and relieves the
workingman from assumption of risk.
contributory negligence or negligence
of fellow workman.
Employer Responsible.
The section in question puts upon
every sort of machinery. specifying in
the minutest detail how he must in
spcct and protect. and gives him not
the slightest loophole. Practically ev-
cry injury will occur from some viola.
ton OF this section. and when the law
IL violated, the employer is RESPONSE
BILE. The courts, with the aid OF a
jury. II Is believed. will have no other
recourse than to give full damages.
Labor leaders. elated over the pas
sage of the act. say this form OF com
pcnsation IL better than the much ar
gued scheme of fixed compensation,
for under this plan the worker gets
only half compensation. They believe
with strict law. they will find the
courts more generous than the EN-.
ployer.
The story of the success of this sec
ton Is ono OF the smoothest bits, OF
legislative work ever seen. Senate
bill No. 3sS was introduced by Senator
Stotsenburg by request. II came be.
fore the committee and the first three
sections were thoroughly argued. The
second and third sections bear alto
iron employment. and provide that
temporary flooring must be furnished
within II specified number of feet of
the workers. The new Block build
Ing being erected within one square of
the state house furnished a splendid
example of the dangers of the work
and the bravery of the men engaged
in II. The labor man. in spea king be-
fore the committee with telling effect
drove home their arguments about the
dangers of shining up steel frames
and crawling along swinging beams.
Theirs was u dramatic story, and
when the committee decided on what
bills to report out. they said: This is
u good bill"
when the bill came up in the sen.
ate. Senator Stotsenburg. with the
narrowing tales still ringing in his
ears. explained the purpose of the bill
and it went through with a bang. The
house passed it-stilI thinking OF the
dangers of structural iron work.
One on the Lobbyist.
The title of the bill was made
broad enough by the committee of la.
Dor men who drew IL up-most Of the
work being done by Henry w. Bull
cck--to cover section 4. Section was