The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-12-30
AN EXHAUSTIVE REPORT OF THE
FINDINGS or THE BODY
ADVOCATES STATE SUPERVISION
Workmen to Receive so Per Cent OF
Yearly Wage For Three Years For
Total Disability.

governor Osborn received last week
the report of the commission appointed
10 inquire into the question OF COM
pensation for injured workmen. The
report is of especial interest To every
person whether laborer or EMPLOYER of
labor and should be carefully studied
over by all as this report will be the
subject of legislation at the next seq
sion OF the legislature
The commission which has made n
thorough investigation OF the subject
asks for law TO give the state charge
OF damages paid To employees.
The report shows that plaintiffs at-
torney fees averaged 40 per cent in one
year $ damage suits brought by injured
workmen against employers. Also,
that OF 20 woTkmen who sued for dam
age in the Wayne county circuit court
in 1908. 54ls per cent of the plaintiffs
got nothing. while the average reoov-
cry was only Sss4 for partial disable
ment for life.
In Ia fatal accidents in the state at
large the commission found that the
average recovery was only $l,24s.
Summarizing present conditions. the
commission found that under the Mich
igan law injured workmen can recover
damages only when il can be proved
that the injury resnlted through negli
gence on the part OF the employer.
with no negligence on the part OF the
employe or on the part of fellow ger
want
While the commission found that
large sums are expended by employers
as protection against damages arising
from Industrial accidents, il also found
that very small percentage of the
sum so expended resulted in any bene-
fit TO the injured
That any compensation law should
be an optional law is one of the first
findings of the commission, il being
held that until the compensation act
has been tried thoroughly by practical
experience il should not be made com
pulsory ON any employer or ernploye.
Domestic Hevice and the agricnltur.
VI industry are excluded from the
.erms Of the bill which the commission
proposes for enactment by the legisla
ure. All injuries except such as re-.
ult from misconduct of the workmen
IRE brought under the terms OF the pro.
'osed law, and while the act is made
ptional rs 20 all private employers.
public service 10 the state
nd counties, critics incorporated vii.
ages townships and school districts.
nd all employees Of the state and such
Municipalities This, however. does
ot include employees OF contractors do
ng work for the state OF municipal.
ties
The proposed act practically destroys
le three common law defenses OF tie
namely, coutributory negli.
ence unless such negligence was viii.
H. the fellow servant doctrine. and
10 assumption OF risk defense. The
in Its report, declares that
Zero Is no reason why an employer
Innot. subject % the approval OF a
ate accident hoard carry its own
SKIS and make the payments required
law directly TO its own employers.
cases of large employers of undoubt-
solvency and large financial ability.
Employers are gwen four options
, carry their own risks N they can
tisfy the board OK their financial abil.
: to do so 10 insnre in any authoriz.
company TO insure in an employers
ltnal association or 60 request the
OF insurance 10 assume
Q admi nistration of the collection and
sbursement Uf industrial accident
nds.
Employers mutual associations may
formed by not less than five en-.
'yers engaged in the same general
lustry and having not less than 10.
employees.
The commission decided that il IL
wise 30 require employees 10 confri.
q anything 70 the funds holding
{ the physical INJURY and suffering
he workman constitute his proper
2 or this hurdeD. II Is proposed
committee OF arbitration Of
20 members. io investigate anv.ac.
'nts' shall consist Of one member or
industrial accident board, and two
'rs appointed respectively hy the
Iies 10 dispute. Either party may