The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-01
CREWS FAMILIES
TO Get S50O,OOO
White Star Must Pay Relatives
Of Those Lost on Titanic.
PROVISION OF ENGLISH LAW.

Workinsmen's Compensation Act OF
1906 Covers the Case-Brtish Gov
ernrent Will Compel the Line to
Make Adequate Provision.
Hundreds of homes in England have
been desolated by the loss Of zoo of the
crew of the Titanic, but the British
government will force a payment Of
more than 100000 from the White
Star line. so those dependent on the
4 crew may not suffer so greatly because
of the untimely deaths. That provl-
sion for the families Of those who
stood by their posts until the last will
be exacted from the company under
the workingmen's compensation act MS
amended in 1906. Every one, from the
humblest apprentice boy to the chief
petty officer comes in the scope OF the
act that will make the mems families
| beneficiaries.
The huge liner had n crew roster of
| almost 500 men and women. including
seamen, firemen, engineers. stewards
apprentice boys and cadets of the line
In the filing of the lifeboats several
men were told off to each boat to man
the oars. The others had to put their
chance of life behind those Of the
meanest of passengers Thus the hum
i blest woman in the steerage would
get consideration before the chief wO-
man steward, and the chief petty Of
ficer would have to wait until the poor
est passenger Of the third class had
been given a place in the boats.
Probably Seven Hundred Went Down.
When the elimination was forced uh
the officers because Of the lack of boats
TO accommodate all, those who were
not pulling on the oars had to watch
their fellows go over the side to al
most certain rescue. That infleXible
rule included the boys in the service
and the woman stewards From the
present facts it is probable that 700 of
the crew went down with their ship.
The British jack futtered at the
peak as the leviathan dropped into the
deep. SO that all the crew on board
were under its protection. That gov
ernmental patronage will insure that
luOSt W llO bu llt "dStS VI Lut
brave band will not suffer from want
for the next three years. Under the
act what pay the crew would have re-
ceived for three years to come will be
given TO those who have been bereaved.
The Laws Provision.
In the inclusion of sailors as work
men the act says specifically:
If the workman leaves any dependents
wholly dependent on his earnings an
amount equal to his earnings in the EN-
ployment Of the same employer during the
three years next preceding the injury or
2i5O, whichever Of these sums is the lar
ger but not exceeding in any case $500,
shall be paid, provided that the amount
of any weekly payments made under this
act and any lump sum paid in redemption
thereof shall be deducted from such
amount, and il the period Of the work
mans employment by the said employer
has been less than the said three years
then the amount of his earnings during
the said period shall be deemed to be 156
times his average weekly earnings during
the period Of his actual employment under
the said employer.
II the workman does not leave any such
dependents, but leaves any dependents in
part dependent on his earnings, such
amount, not exceeding in any case the
visions, as may be agreed on or In default
of agreement may be determined on arbi
tration under this act to be reasonable
and proportionate to the injury TO the said
dependent, shall be paid.
How the Rule Works.
In other words, where the support Of
a family or any members of a family
devolved on one of those who were
drowned the families will be entitled
to amounts that will range from $3.50
TO $1,000. That applies whether the
victim has been in the employ of the
company for less than three years, just
as well as 1t includes those who have
been with the White Star line for u
longer period. If the wages of the
member of the crew were contributed
only in part TO the support of his fam
lily and the money deprivation is not 50
acute a settlement may be made be
tween the company and the family.
Should such a settlement be made with
: those who are entirely dependent on
the crew member the agreement may
be abrogated, but the money paid un-
! der its terms will be deducted from the
amount specified by the act.
Thus the parent government will
compel the line to make adequate pro
vision for the families of every one Of
the victims who were employed in the
Titanic. AS the men who sailed in the
Titanic for the greater part were the
sole support of their families or the
principal source Of income the cOmpa-
ny will be taxed anywhere from $3.50
to $500. Balancing the wages of the
firemen, who received S25 a MONTH and
the seamen, who got $18 a month,
against the wages Of the stewards, ap-
prentice boys and others Of minor EN-
ployment, who got about 50 a month,
the average will be about $3.50 for
each OF the families of the lost ones.
Subtracting from that the few who
would come under the second clause of
the act the indemnity Of the White
Star win be more than 100000.