New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-01
100000 TO SHARE PROFITS
National Electric Light Associa.
ton Recommends a Plan.
NAGEL ON LIABILITY LAW
Says Constitution Will Yield or
Break if Strained Too Long
in Any Direction.

The National Electric Light Association
at its thirty-fourth annual convention in
this city. Yesterday recommended pro-
visions for profit sharing among six hum
dred thousand employees, from Office bows
TO presidents OF companies. Death hene-
FITS, pensions. life insurance and employees
savings investment funds were also recon-
mended. The profit sharing plan mas been
adopted by several members OF the asso-
citation, including the Edison Electric Ilu-
minating Company OF Brooklyn. and the
Commonwealth Illuminating Company. Of
Boston.
More than two thousand members and
guests assembled last night in The New
Theatre and listened TO an address by
Charles Nasel. Secretary of the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor. Secretary
Nagel. after listening 10 the profit sharing
reports that were recommended said ne
believed the labor interests Of the country
would eventually do without the nterven
ton of state authorities, inasmuch As they
would be able to rely upon the best motive
power Of any community. namely, the pri-
vate initiative and enterprise for mutual
well being He said. in part. Of the en-
ployers' liability law and the existing the
CRY of contributory negligence on the part
OF the employe:
Say what you will, if the Constitution ia
strained too long II Will yield. either by
amendment or by judges that Will obey the
public viii, he r. by recall or sOnisthtn Z
else. | am not an advocator-I am opposed
TO it-but | only say that n you strain the
Constitution too long and demand mat II
stand TOR TO much ultimately the popular
VIII IN our government VIII control
SO. IN my judgment. II is a question. not
Of constitutional law so much a /, is a
question Of sound policy what ought 10 :
done IN our country as a matter Of law.
] know the former say that We should
have no difficultv IN adopting prnCipl IS If
because these things have been Gone IN
England and in Germany In my opinion.
that analogy is dangerous We must not
forget that IN those countries the 81 'ln' Z
IS approached from the point Of view ot
centre lized poweI. whereas in cur country
IL Is approached from the point of view oi
a free republican form or government am
when the state 4 a state. undertakes Y"
say arbitrarily that m a matter Of contract
between two citizens. IN the event OF hccl-
dent. one shall pay without question: IN
my judgment II extends protection 70 2,ls
citizen at the cost of another that ult-
mately viii mean more than appears UPON
the face Of that statute. l. hail ana COL
graduate these gentlemen as the represen-
tatiVes of large private enterprises III
bringing forward a suggestion and Il plan
that will solve this great question Volun-
tarily and not by the mandate - state law
The National Electric Light Association
has 30 members and 125n member com
uanies upon its roll and IS the largest o.
esnization ~ SIS kind in the world. REP
resent,rg inward Of a billion dollars of
cap,tal w w. Freeman. vice president ~
the meeting last evening. Samuel lnsnH'
Of Chicago. q past president Of the associa o.
ton. read the exhaustive public policy
committee report" which contained the
recommendations pertaining 10 the en-
vironr,ert Of the associations working
classes