The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-08-19

selves, but of all hea:elements under
employers liability az 5it is: today they
are the least entitled TO considera-
tion.. Employers liability, with neg
ligence of, the employee as the basis
for recovery, brought them into zex-
istence and when goes they
should go with it. +, :. ...7
p Personal Injury .Astorneys. y
A very important element to be
considered In framing Working
mems Compensat ton act are the per-
sonal injury. attorneys y Men: who
have made this branch Of the law
business a speciality lave been SUBJ
ject to more abuse and ;calumny than
they deserve. It is lamentably true
that the field has offered alluring
inducements for dishonest and avari-
cious lawyers. but large number
of very high grade personal injury
attorneys nave been tho a.saving salt Of
this kind of practice. and we are in
debted to them for many of the
notifications made IN the rules Of
evidence as applied toneglisence. It
may be well to knowthat the courts
of Minnesota have been more liberal
in this regard than those Of any
state in. the union. >...,~ %.* f il; !
shouldering Final Burden.
OF course in the last analysis we
are not unmindful sof the fact that
the really great factor that shoulder
the final burden Of expense OF indus
trial accidents and employers liability
are the people. AS colsafnaers; they are are
selarSed by q a0rt III eUsf
OF employers liability and law suits.
AS tax payers tley are charged with
the maintenance of the courts, and
almshouses where 10 per cent Of our
cripple population are-;z ultimately
forced. As individuals they are re-
quired to s:lpport by private, charity
the victims :of Industrial accidents
who are destitute. @.::] =. .sss.s :.
= Factors to Be Considered 49,. nj
The three direct factors then to be
considered in formulating "a plan Of
Workingmen's Compensation or In
dustrial Insurance are employers, en-
ployees and the public. The two in
direct factors are employers liability
companies and personal injury at
torneys. No plan should aim at ac-
comedating itself to the latter class.
Their interests are at variance with
the spirit that should actuate the
enactment of such a law. ~
All information and data compiled
In recent years show that an enor-
nous percentage Of t:ie money new
paid in laws suits. for the settlement
= ,&,~, g.
does not go to the injured workmen,
but, Is absorbed by insurance COM
panies, personal injury lawyers, and
9. multitude of go-betweens. In New
York state It is authoritatively stated
that of every dollar paid by employ
ers for liability, insurance, but 20
cents finds its way to the pockets Of
the injured workmen. - -
Waste Under Present Law.
There is then terrific waste un-
der our employers liability laws,
which If conserved would inure to
the benefit Of all injured workmen
with little; If any, addittonal charge
against the present cost Of operation
or production. The economic phase
OF this great problem is almost as
perplexing as Its legal side. @
The code presented by the commits
sion last winter to the Legislature
eliminated the personal injury attor-
ney, the workman's only friend under
employers liability, but the private
insurance company, the employers
aaly, was permitted to- still do busi-
ness In the same old way. And yet
the commission went as !, far as it
believed it could under our state con-
stitution. ..5.s
=. Attempt Would BE Futile
If we approach the question with