The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1912-04-25
new LABOR BILL
A TAFT POLICY
usbllly and Compensation
Measure Progressive.
JUSTICE IS ITS OBJECT.


President Approves Prepessd Isaisla,
zion Making Federal Labor Laws "a
eesdern cenditiens-Lssa Machinsr,
0implifed.
A. the result Of the personal interes,
q President Taft in all matters NJ
e0cting the workingmen Of the country
csueress has before 1t today q com
prel,ensive bill on employers liability
and workmen's compensation which l.
recognized IA one Of the most progress.
alve Of the many achievements Of the
g TAFT, administration. The bill was r.
parted by commission appointed by
President Taft pursuant to u Joint res
Oiution Of congress passed on June %
lVIN and it was recent! sent to con
EreAs by the president. accompanied
with message recommending It's pas
ssaSe. AS DATED the measure pro-
vt1es an exclusive remedy and com
Frnsation for accidental injuries re
xuifing in disabilities or death to ON
RaOyces of common carriers engaged
In Interstate or foreign commerce az
In the District Of Columbia.
This comprehensive. legislation Il the
dirrrt outcome of the general unsatis
facsoriness OF labor legislation passed
hy congress in recent years aad Is II
lustrative of the Taft method Of reach
ing an admitted evil by a painsta.ing
Investigation followed by carefully
considered laws. AS is well known. the
dFst employers ability law passed in
TIN. fast administration was declared
OnrOnstitrticral By the courts. A new
Ian to take its place was passed un
der this administration. but It was gen.
orally understood at the time that the
comprehensive measure now before
congress was to follow. both as to
liability and compensation. as soon as
the necessary investigation into the
subject could he made. The result is
that the workingmen Of the United
Sf1tes- so far as they can be reached
~ federal law. will soon be working
under one Of the most enlightened la
bOr laws on record.
Provision Is made in the bill. as draft
ed tentatively. that every common car
rier engaged in Interstate or foreign
commerce shall pay compensations In
thH amounts specified In the bill tn any
% tts employees who sustains personal
injury BY accident arising out OF and
tn the course of his employment and /
vesnlting in his disa bility or to his de-
pendents n case OF death.
It Is provided IL the bill that the in |
jared employee stall have r,edical at
tendance ard surgical aid when nee
eaEsa15- the last mentioned being limit
ed TO 500. The monthly wages Of an
snployee are deemed to be twenty-six
times the established days pay. and
30 is the minimum monthly. wage pay
ment. It Is also provided that all CON-
penxation shall be paid monthly unless
computed to a lump sum.
Death benefits are provided for at a |
specific percentage Of the mans wages
b be paid to the widow with an In
erease in the amount when there are
dependent children. and In case Of no
Dependents the payment Of the bnrial
expenses IS required. The mater OF
DeFaonal injury compensation IL also
covered IN fair and equitable pro-
vlsaun.
Another feature OF the proposed act
D clear definition Of the term de
Fe1de1f" as well m 0f what consti-
tuaes an 'injury- and IN "enplo-ee."
Legal complications are provided for,
EepDrn Of accidents. payments and
operations under the law to the inter-
sfafH commerce commission are re-
qrired. and it Is declared that the pro-
posed act shall take effect on July 1.
I012. and cited as 1.-THE federal CON-
BeCsAticn net Of 1912"
In its Investigations Of this Subject ,
Ne commission determined at the out. /.
IT that IN substance the doctrines Of ,
hr common law originating under CON- I
Aratively simple conditions were I'M :
INST as applied to the complex relations
4 master and servant. The use OF !
oarl,iicated machinery. steam and cleo ]
ITCHY has had the effect Of Increasing !
ne deDlorable antagonism between
employer and employee and often :
gis,n2 few injured employees large
I'D frequently extravagant damages.
While the great majority have been left
-
ecompense whatever. =
Af the time Of the adoption Of the
NEnDn law rules of liability indus :
riai conditions We're radically differ
mt from those Of today. The number !,
n employees was smaller because
here were few big Industrial plants.
rha business carried on was small in
'zteat. the appliances used in the
vcrk consisted largely Of hand tools. 5.
VhiA the power was simple in char !.
efer. with little danger to the en- : !.
'bvee. Under such conditions the :
niles n common law originated. ?
Today there IL vast difference. :
sre<idsnt TAFT. in the message which :
the report Of the commits =
Ion to congress- aptiy says. in speak
ne of the proposed hill. that It Is one 8
1 the great steps Of progress toward Z
~ A-