The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-02-16
DOkAHUE ARGUES AGAINST
WO.2KMEN'S COMPENSATION;
MANUFACTURERS FAVOR IT

WU}kMEMS GUMPEnSAiIUH;
MANUFACTURERS FAVOR IT
(Contiued from Page ~
two, is the measure drawn up by
Mayor Fisher Of Middletown. which
has the endorsement of the Hartford
Central Labor Union, represent ng 5000
workmen of Hartford. Mayor Fish
er presented his bill to the commit
tee yesterday afternoon. Owing to the
lateness Of the hour he did not have
a chance to outline its provisions at
any length but indicated that he will
do so at the hearing this afternoon.
While declaring themselves in IA
vor of Workmen's Compensation. the
themselves strongly on record as OPP
posed to Employers Liability, or to
the Eabrogation or modification of the
three pleadings in Connecticut law
most thoroughly detested by labor
the Fellow servant doctrine the as
sumed risk doctrine and the contrib
utory negligence doctrine.
That Employers Liability laws ut
tter1y fail of their purpose. that they
intend to increase rather than d1m1n-
ish legislation, that they do not in
crease the average awards to injured
workmen, were the main points in
brilliant argument made aga nst EN-
ployers' Liability by Attorney Emory
in behalf of the Manufacturers asso-
citation. Attorney Emory then went
on to show that the sovereign remedy
appears to be Workmen's Compensa-
ton, which. under proper law. ef-
fords immediate and adequate relief
to injured men, tends to the lessening
of accidents by the encouraging Of
fafx nj a III n a
measures, and is less of a burden
upon the employers than the present
hap hazard recourse to the courts do
ing away with all the waste entalled
in lengthy litigation.
Attorney Enory's views on this sub
ject were opposed by several speak
ers, with the indication of still livelier
opposit on at to-day's hearing.
The opening gun yesterday after
noon was fired by Representative JOSH
ua Meltzer Of Bridgeport. who secured
the floor as soon as the meeting was
called to order by Chairman Judson.
Mr. Meltzer, who has introduced
Workmens Compensation bill into the
legislature, launched into an explana-
ton Of the subject, giving at consider
able length the history Of such legis-
lation. and the very apparent evils
which the bills introduced by him are
designed to remedy. He confined his
talk mostly to the Liability bill. re-
serving his Compensat on measure for
further discussion at another hearing.
That the joint committee on Judi
cary and Labor realizes the evil of
Connecticut's present law and is
seeking for remedial legislation, was
ind Gated by House Leader Banks who
of the need. of better adjustment
Of the relations between employer
and employed.
1.-The committee Is aware of all that"
said Judge Banks interrupting Mr..
Meltzer when the latter was instanc-
ing the workings of Connecticut's
present cumbersome and unjust laws.
know" continued Mr.. Banks. 'is
whether or not you have any measure
to offer which will remedy the s.tua-
ton"
ct have introduced two measures for
that purpose" replied Mr.. Meltzer.
The Bridgeport representatives took
up the three common-law pleadings
which have proved to be the greatest
bars to the recovery of damages by
injured workmen,-the common law
doctrines Of fellow servant assumed
risks and 'contributory negligence
For the first two he demanded abro-
cation; for the last, fair modificat ton
not be a complete bar to the recovery
Of damages and at the same time will
not expose the employer to the dan
ger of criminal carelessness on the
part of his employees
1--WE are called upon to solve very
vexatious problem in the relations Of
employer and employee" said Repre-
sentative Meltzer; through these So
CALLED 'judge-made' laws the work.
man has gradually been deprived Of
his rights, until at the present time
the employee is completely at the mer-
cy of the employer"
Representative Meltzer then went on
to explain the mean ng OF each OF
these legal doctrines and showed the
unfair way in which these common
law theories often work out in prac-
tice.
"The number of industrial accidents
In this country has been steadily upon
the increase" said Mr.. Meltzer. "un-
til statist cs now show that more
year, than there were soldiers killed
and injured during the four years of
the Civil war.
1--WE gladly pension those heroes Of
the Civil war; why should be not like
wise protect these other heroes-for in
way they are such-who are in
jured or killed when engaged IN work.
ing to support their families and main
tanning the industries of the state. Yet
we now say to them in ea ect. If you
are injured it is your own fault"
Mr.. Meltzer then instanced the I'M
fair workings of the present Connect
cut law in some cases which have
come under his own observation and
made strong plea for the betterment
of such conditions.
The next speaker was the Rev. DR..
Mcfarland Of the state conference of
Congregational churches, who stated
that the conference had appointed q
committee consisting of two manufac-
turers. two labor men and two minis
ters to act as cush ;ons between them,
to take up the subject of Workmen's
Compensation and Employers L:abil-
ity
1--WE are concerned only with GER
tain moral aspects of the question"
said DR.. Mcfarland, 1--WE believe that
If liability law is adopted, 1t should
be real liability law and not merely
a system of contracts. We believe
that man should not be privileged
to assume risks that might endaneer
himself. deprive his wife and family
of support and endanger his fellow
workmen and the public at large
The Rev. E. L. Wismer Of Bristol,
secretary of the same committee, spoke