The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-11-02
WANTS INDUSTRY
To BEAR BURDEN
Peter M. Ringdal Fundamentally
Sound on Workingmen's
Compensation Act.
LABOR SUFFERS PAIN;
INDUSTRY SHOULD PAY
Eberhart Has No Definite Prin-
ciple- le-Employers' Association
Supports Him.
The next legislature will in all

The next legislature will in all
proba bllity pass a workingmen's Com
pensation law. Public thought is
ripe on this question, and public
necessity and every consideration of
right and justice demand it. Upon
this point all are agreed. However,
there is great difference of opinion
about It's form.
Aside from the question Of whether
or not compensation act should be
compulsory or elective, the main diff
ference between a certain we'll or
ganized group Of employers and the
working men of Minnesota is over
the issue as to who shall carry the fl
nancial burden.
George NJ. Gillette. president of the
Minnesota Employers association and
his colleagues, many Of whom are
large and influential employers of
labor, have prepared a bill to be sub
mitted to the Legislature, provision
of which requires that employees shall
pay from their wages 20 per cent OF
the cost Of insurance under tlR aG..
Ringdahl With Labor.
The Minnesota State Federation Of
Labor takes a position directly oppo-
site to the Minnesota Employers as
sociation and declares that industry
should bear the full financial burden,
and no part of the cost Of insurance
shall be e4acted from the wages OF
the workingman.
The fight in the legislature will be
bitterly waged on this point. While
this kind of legislation is social In
character it nevertheless will and is
being drawn into politics.
Governor Eberhart in his platform
declares for IAN adequate and fair
workingmen's compensation law" BY
his usual evasion he avoids saying
anything about who should bear the
financial burden, or whether all or
part thereof should be borne by in
dustry..
P. NJ. Ringdal, the Democratic
nominee, hits the nail sauarely on the
head and in manner that permits Of
no doubt as to his attitude. In his
platform he says:
Industry should bear the bur-
den Of accidents to those who
serve it. The law should secure
fair compensation to the injured
workman, or to his family in case
of DEATH
The first sentence in the plank
above quoted clinches his position. He
declares that industry, and not the
workman, should bear the burden,
and in so declaring he takes the ex-
act position of the Minnesota State
Federation of Labor and the railroad
labor organizations. of this state.
What Ringdahl Would Do.
Now should the legislature be in
duced to pass a law placing a por-
ton of the financial burden for car
rying insurance under a compensa-
ton law upon labor has anyone any
doubt what Mr.. Ringdal would do as
governor? He would send the bill
bac kto the legislature and insist that
industry should bear the full finan-
cial risk.
What would Governor Eberhart do
in such a case? The business firm
with which he is connected is a men,
ber of the association of employers
the members of which are supporting
him for governor. Is there any
doubt in the mind Of a single work
man but that he would sign bill
1aVOraDle 10 employers ana OlStdSte.
full to employees, just as he vetoed the
bill permitting firemen and police.
men to ride free on street cars, fo1
the reason that he was asked so tc
do by the street railway interests OF
Minnesota?
Experience has proven that labor
cannot depend upon Governor Eber.
hart to defend it's rights or protest its
interests. He is pretty safe man tt
return to private life.