The Detroit times., 1911-12-23
WOULD GIVE INJURED
EMPLOYEES HALF-PAY
Employers Liability and Work
mems Compensation Commits
sion Submits Report.

The report OF the commission APP
pointed by Gov. Osborn to investigate
the question of employers liability and
workmen's compensation in the event
OF injury, was submitted to the gov
ernor in Lansing, Friday. II includes
data gathered with great care in an
investigation covering period OF six
months. under the supervision OF
Richard l.. Drake, who was a member
OF the commission, until he resigned TO
accept the position of secretary. This
report will form the basis OF bill 10
be presented to the next legislature.
A definite schedule of damages 10
be paid In case OF disability is pro-
vided in the proposed compensation
bill recommended by the commission,
the compensation amounting to so per
cent Of the injured employees wages
for stipulated period, varying with
the degree of disability, as follows:
Total isability-Employe entitled
70 80 per cent OF wages for eight
years, the maximum amount to be
$4,000.
Fatal accidents-Employe.s heirs
entitled 10 so per cent OF wages for
$4,000.
Partial disability-Employe entitled
10 90 per cent OF wages after two
weeks; II disabled more than eight
weeks compensation to be from date
Of injury.
Loss OF thumb, SO per cent of aver;
age wage for 60 weeks; loss OF finger,
80 per cent of average wage for 80
weeks: loss OF third finger, 90 per
cent of average wage for 20 weeks;
loss of toe, so per cent OF average
wage for 80 weeks any other toe, 90
per cent Of average wage for 10
weeks: loss of hand, so per cent OF
average wage for $50 weeks; loss or
arms, so per cent of average wage for
200 weeks; loss OF foot, so per cent
of average wage for 125 weeks; loss
Of leg, so per cent of average wages
for It's weeks; loss of eye, so per cent
OF average wage for 100 weeks; loss
of both hands, arms or feet to be con-
sidered total disability.
The proposed bill also provides for
the creation OF an industrial accident
board of three members, to be ap-
pointed for six years. and this board
ment Of the law. The chairman OF the
board is TO receive $4,000 per year,
and each of the other members, $4,000.
The board is authorized to employ a
secretary at $4,000 per year and such
clerks as may be necessary.
The bill would nullify three Of the
chief defenses that are now effective
ly employed in damage suits, the fell
low servant doctrine, contributory
negligence and assumption OF risk. In
this connection il is shown that in
jured persons do not receive fair CON-
pensation for their injuries. The COM
finds that the fees received by
attorneys from plaintiffs average 40
per cent OF the judgments recovered.
OF % persons who sued for damages
in 1909, "a 1-2 per cent recovered
nothing. The average recovery for
partial disability that year was 1884.
In IA fatal accident cases the aver
age amount recovered was $1.24s.
In a measure the commission aims
at the solution advocated by ex-Presi-
dent Roosevelt, which places the bur-
den on the industry and contemplates
that il become a part of the cost OF
production and be paid by the con-
sumer. Thus employees will not be
compelled to contribute TO compen-
sation fund.
The report shows that there were
1900 accidents of all kinds In the
state in 1910 and 220 fatalities.
Ii is the conclusion of the commits
sion that any compensation statute
should be optional and that, in the
operation of such q law all injured
employees, except those injured
through their own wilful negligence
and persons engaged in domestic SER
vice and agricultural industries,
should be compensated.
The members of the commission
are: Hal H. Smith, Detroit, chairman;
Charles r. Sligh and NJ. p McCuen,
Grand Rapids: William p. Belden,
Ishpeming, and o. e. Reavesr Jack
son