The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-11-08
DIFFICULTIES TO
Be ENCOUNTERED
Proposed Workrnen's Com
pensation Law Will Have
Many Obstacles

Washington. Nov. s.-Some of the
difficulties liable to be encountered in
the administration of the proposed
employers liability and workmen's
compensation law were empha-
sized today when President Com
pers Of the American Federation of
Labor took issue with members Of the
the awarding tribunal to be created.
Mr.. Gompers, in the main. endorsed
the commisson's plan for insuring
railroad employees against accident.
but when he took up the question, of
administration he advanced q theory
Which did not meet the approval, OF
s. me Of the commissioners. He In
sisted that the tribunal should consist
Of three members, n Of whom
another an employe. while the third
should be a physician Of standing and
should be chosen by the other two.
The commission has not formulated
a provision covering this important
part of the law, but Senator Suther-
land and Representative Moon indicat-
ed a decided leaning toward the
selection Of award boards by the fed
eral courts of the country.
Mr.. Sutherland pointed out that Mr..
Gompers' plan was in Effect q system
Of arbitration. and he said. the result
would be t"the"lthtrd mar OF the
board would be the arbitrator. while
the other two would be mere attor-
ncys for the two sides.
On the other hand Mr.. Gompers
would not agree that any one man
should have the selection of arbiters.
TO confer this authority OF the
Courts is equivalent to saying that the
courts are not governed by politics.
ann am not c,,~A ta~k <LS- t. "
ways the case" he said.
He fastened to add hat he did not
believe that as a rule the courts were
prompted by improper motives, but
ne said that the environment and edlI-
cation of most judges were such as to
make them incapable Of correctly de-
termining questions. pertaining to in
H. E. Gore. vice. chairman Of the
joint board of the Eastern Pennsyl-
vanfa lines for the Brotherhood Of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen,
urged high payments and long time al
lowances. contending that If the fig
ures were high enough it would be
immaterial whether the law were cleo
tive or compulsory.
he expressed the opinion, that the
entlre burden of damages should be
borne by the railroads. This he con-
ceded, would force an increase of rail-
road rates. In the end, therefore, the
responsibility would fall on the public.
where. according to his theory, it
rightly belonged. He thought that the
compensation in case of death should
De based on twelve years Of service.
senator sutherland and Representa-
tive Brantley warned Mr.. Gore against
W extreme demands. A moderate
and reasonable measure, they said.
was o apt to get through congress
and the courts than one Of stringest
requirements. 9-E.
PERIODICAL payments AMI the basing
OF payments on the daily wage paid
the employe at the time of the acct
oent were advocated by E. Y. Cam.
chairman of the board of adjustment
OF n pennsylvania lines east. He
ealo that II! many cases the average
wage would not be q fair basis OF
compensation.
Jonn X. Cummings. representing the
tralnmen of the Buffalo and Susuue.
mamma system. advocated the period.
cal payment of benefits, on the ground
that when lump sums were paid thew
generally were squandered. He also
Favored the compulsory compensation
plan and the use Of the daily wage
as the basis of benefits.
e. M. Holiday and j. L. Rowe, on
Denal OF the trainmen Of the New
YORK Central and the New York. New
HaVen and Hartford railroads. sus-
tained the compulsory system. Mi.
Eowe thought. however, that IL en-
p!oyes We're to be compelled to accept
the system they should be given q lib.
eral percentage.
Speaking for $4,000 men. President
w. g. Lee Of the Brotherhood of Rail.
way Iratnmen. urged the abandon.
ment OF all ideas of lump sum pay
ments. saying that in q large majority
OF cases the money IL soon spent, with
the result hat in many cases the in.
1ured employe becomes a public
charge. Mr.. Lee emphasized the fact
that n tratnmen's ofganixation is en-
tirely independent Of the America
Fedsratton Of Labor and added that
ne. did Q take kindly to the idea that
me proposed legislation in favor of
the railroad employees % a mere step.
! stone to further legislation Of
me same character for workmen in
other lines OF employment.
WAS