Arizona republican., 1912-05-06
NEW LABOR LAWS.

By the first of July in II states workingmen's compensation acts, or employers liability laws, as they are Variously called, will be in operation in this country. In as many more states similar laws are in the course of preparation to be presented for passage at the next session of the legislatures. The states having such laws now upon their books are as fol- lows: California. Illinois. Kansas, Massachusetts. Nevada, New Hamp- shire, New Jersey. Ohio. Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
 Not all of these laws are wise: not all are just in all their provisions. But the fact remains that law makers and the public alike have determined upon new policy in the treatment of individuals who meet with accident in the course of their work, and the question naturally arises-what will it cost employers?
 That the new laws will operate to the benefit of the working force is unquestioned. That some reform in our methods of handling the cases of injured employees has been needed is
 
 laws that have been adopted provided such method remains to be seeh although it is already apparent that in their fundamental provisions they cannot work great harm to any indi- Vfdual or class
 Universally, the new laws take the matter of compensation to the in jured workman out of the courts where it was formerly adjusted, clum- silly and unsatisfactOrily, and place the burden definitely upon the should CTS of the employer. They name fixed price for loss of life or injury occurring to the worker in the per fOrmance of his duties, which must be met by the employer. practically regardless of the circumstances. The amount Of this compensation ranges from a minimum Of $3,O00 in New Hampshire to a maximum of 5000 in California, in the case of death; in the case of total disability. from 50 per cent of weekly earnings, with a limit of $3,000 in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, to 66 2-3 per cent of weekly wages. continuing until death if injury is permanent, in Ohio; in cases of partial disability, from 9 per cent of wage loss in Kansas to 66 23 per cent, with a limit of $3,4O0 in Ohio. Both Washington and Wisconsin have certain provisions in their laws which are more drastic than the above, since the former provides. in the case of death, for monthly payments to survivors, dur ing dependency or childhood. with a lump sum to the widow upon e-mar- riage, and the Wisconsin law, which allows 65 per cent of weekly earnings in cases of total disability, adds that after the first 90 days the compen- satiOn shall be increased to 100 per cent of earnings, with a maximum payment of $3,0O0.
 Under the statutes of these states the employer has no recourse to the courts for the adjustment of the rates of compensation. says Business for April He foOts the bill for the crimes of industry in his own estab- lishment At the same time, how ever. he is relieved from the risk of excessive damages which have been commonly awarded where case Couiu De Hldue out dSdlISC lIlS Sul- ployer, and he avoids the heavy costs of lengthy litigation. Incidentally. the state is saved the expense of these lawsuits and the courts are relieved of much delay as the result of legal tangles. This is no small item. The Wainwright commission, which framed the compensation law for New York, later declared to be unconstitutional, brought out the fact that ne-fifth of the time of our courts is taken up with damage suits, most of fhem growing out of industrial accidents. These cases are done away with un- der the new compensation laws They provide a certain relief and in the payment of it there is no money wasted in lawsuits.