The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-25

law every employer must belong to the organization of his craft and to these Employers Associations Is giv- en the necessary legal power to in- force accident prevention and insur- ance rules, not only upon the employ CT but also upon the worker. The whole administration of the compensation law has really been placed in the hands of the United Elm ployers, always, of course, under the supervising control of the State, through the Imperial Insurance De- partment.
 The total cost of litigation under the German system is only 1 2-10 percent penditures and the total efficiency of the insurance system is remarkably high. It must be remembered that such high point of efficiency can hardly be attained under any other system; first. because employers as- sociations carry the accident insurance on mutual basis and need make no profits for stockholders, nor do they pay commissions of any kind to soli- citors. Second, they are headed by employers of high standing and much experience. who devote their time and intelligence to the good cause without pay. Third; because prevention is en- couraged under this system. There is still an additional reason for the low cost of the German system, in that much of the expense of the German Insurance Department is paid out of the General Government funds.
 Numerous charts and other illus trattons thrown upon the screen ma de MT. Schwedtnan's address vivid to his aud. .ence. Speaking of accidents MT. Schwedtman remarked further: "That truth, is stranger than fiction is as evident in the study of accident sta- tistics as it is in any other phrase of human endeavor. Suppose the ques- tion should be asked of ten intelligent persons, What is the cause for the greatest number of accidental injuries to workers in such country as Ger many?' Bearing in mind that in in many respects Germany's pop ulation is occupied in callings similar to those of the industrial and agri- cultural population of the United States, most of the ten persons would remember the terrible incidents of the various railway accidents in the news papers and guess that railway works must be the most serious cause of ac- cidents. Others will remember the crippled and the killed workmen who have paid the price for progress and efficiency in our iron and steel trade, or the victims of mine explosions, or the great number of workers injured by circular saws and other danger ous woodworking machinery, but none OI Iue L6u pCISOaS WOulu BQSSS Iu<1I fall from ladders is responsible for the greatest number of accidents.
 For two years the principal cause for accidents, according to German statistics are as follows:
 1 Fall from ladders, 163 for every 100000 workers employed.
 All sorts of driving machinery, 1os for every 100000 workers employ ed.
 3 Teaming, 6s for every 100000 work CTS employed.
 All sorts of tools 54 for every 100000 workers employed.
 3 Railways, 27 for every 100, ,000 workers employed.
 The very end of the line is formed by steam boilers, with one and one half injured persons for every one hundred thousand workers employ ed.
 MT. Schwedtman showed in the il- lustrations presented how such simple devises as sharp points or soft rubber tips on the lower ends of ladders and hooks at the upper ends, painting dan gerous situations and parts of machin- cry red and covering all projecting parts of machinery such as the heads of set screws, had resulted in Ger many in reducing accidents to a mimi mum.