The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-16

One state after another is taking it up with vigor. The National Association Of Manufacturers is endeaxoring to further a national system of injured workers re- lief, which, however. will not interfere with the voluntary action of employers.
 The Association for Labor Legislation, of which Henry R. Seager, professor of economics of Columbia university. is pres ident, and Governor Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey, Louis D. Brandeis of Boston, and P Teeumseh sherman are active workers, is gaining tremendous headway among the most intelligent and progres- sive industrial workers of the United states, and of nearly every country of the world.
 Within the past few weeks a number of well known business men, judges and attorneys of the Birmingham district have entered their names on tho membership -=st Of this association. Business men and attorneys all over the state are informing themselves on this subject of what is being termed "the law of the killed and injured
 At the recent meeting of the Alabama Bar association in Montgomery the topic of the first days session was discussion of employers liability and workers com pensation acts. by N. A. Blount of Pen sacola Fla And this was received with the most profound interest.
 Gist of the Days Grafton
 MT. Blount treated of the liability o6 an employer to third persons for the negH- gence of the empoye, and examined the grounds of that liability; he considered the liability of the employer to the em- ploye and examined the grounds of that liability. In his review of the develop ment by the courts and the legislatures he showed that rapidly the liability of the employer to the employe is becoming al- most absolute.
 He entered with considerable detail into the matter of workers compensation acts which propose to compensate the work man or his family in every case of in- jury or death to him, making the liability of the employer absolute without refer ence to the negligence of himself or of the injured employe. He examined the benefits of the proposed law and the rela- tive justice to the employer and employe, showing it's desirability if data shall prove that 1t can be made applicable without large injury to the employer, or destruc- ton of his business. He discussed the ad- vanced views as to the rights of the work ingman and the humanity in the applica- ton of those views, wherever practicable MT. Blount dWelt. however on the con- stitutionality of law which proposes to make a man responsible for damages when neither he nor his servants are neg ligent, and he cited the recent opinion of the court of appeals of New York, hold ing such law unconstitutional. He sug- gested ways of obviating the result of that holding and expressed the belief thaS some time the remedy would be afforded to the workingman in a way compatible with justice to the employer.
 The Days Tally Figures Up
 Here in the Birmingham district, where s+l of an industrial accident in some form or other, in the mines, furnaces, steel plant, foundries, shops or railroad yards, the problem takes on especial significance. Questions of accident prevention and safety together with the various phases of relief and compensation plans are re- ceiving more attention right now in this district than ever before in it's history At no time have the needs of the work ing man been more to the front than now During the past several years marked Improvements in the line of safety and welfare of the employees have been ln- stituted by certain companies here, all of which will be detailed in future articles, But the movement has been so gradual it has scarcely been realized as yet by the <general public. However, it cannot be @aid to se strictly speaking, a general movement.
  gressive companies here endeavor now to substitute new ways and means of improving camps, working conditions, re- lief and compensation plans, they are confronted with what appears to be rath- CT an implacabe situation. a spirit of apathy, lack of appreciation, or even comprehension, and the eye ever glancing sharp to see-a nigger in the woodpile.
 All of which may be a perfectly logical ,aff ay71 tA l.a fal sr,+,. consideration merely as one of the phases to be met in dealing with sociolog- teal problems here.
 In the introduction of, for instance this subject under discussion, the workers compensation act, what is the most prac- ticable plan for It's operation in the Br- mingham district? There is indeed a question:
 It is one immediately concerning every operator and large employer-and all workmen-in Birmingham. A study of the subject, together with various other soci- ological problems of local application and importance has lately been inaugurated by the Alabama Coal Operators associa- tion, results of which will be published in The Age-Herald.
 The result of this investigation so far, points to the German method, as without question, the most practical, and the best Ell round accident feilel &eneme known. Although the first cost is high 1t pays in the long run.
 What are some of the main points of this plan?
 Go Shares
 Tn the first place it is d joint proposl- tion to which both employer and emplove contribute. The rate fixed by law is sup plemented by a workmens insurance for which the workmen themselves give stated percentage of their wages
 The medical departments of the Ger man companies cooperate to an extraor- dinary degree in the general welfare plan, for instance, in order to save amputaton Of leg or an arm of an efficient work man. the highest surgical skill and most expensive treatment will often be re- sorted to.
 A great deal of money is often spent voluntarily by a German concern. in ad- dtion to their insurance premium. to mend as much as possible and as quickly as possible, the injured workers ills, so that he may again become a producing member instead of consuming member of the nation
 That is what they are driving at year in and year out, to spend their money with the workers money in the endeavor to promote efficiency. They figure very little in old age pensions or in life pen sions to slightly disabled persons for the reason that such q course would manu- lecture paupers and invalids.'
 They are building not for immediate re. sults, not for one year, or ten years, but
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