Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-04
Receives Enthusiastic Greet
ing From Factory inspectors.
ADDRESS TO DELEGATES
Speaks of Legislation Beneficial to
Laboring Men.
COMPENSATION FOR INJURIES
Convention Welcomed by Capt.
James F. Oyster-Address by
Samuel Gompers and Others.

At the twenty-sixth annual convention of
the International Association Of Factory
Inspectors, which opened a session OF
three days at the Shoreham Hotel this
morning, President Taft delivered an ad-
dress saying he was heartily in SYM
pathy with the work of the delegates and
so far as he had power would be glad
to cooperate with them In any legitimate
proposition looking to the bettermenr of
industrial conditions.
The President was ushered in amid
great cheering. The delegates and Wis
!tors. representing all sections of the
United States and Canada, interrupted
him frequently with outbursts Of ap-
plause.
Mr.. President, your remarks, we know
represent your feelings, and are not per-
Iunctory, commissioner Williams OF
New York said, replying to Mr.. Taft
speech. for your acts while President OF
the United States have shown that YOU
nave given consideration to legislation
such as is advocated by a body of this
nature. we judge you by your record
hat you have done we appreciate"
Mr.. Williams praise of the President
seemed to strike popular chord with all
present. Judging from the demonstration
which followed.
Compensation Bill Reviewed.
The President dwelt at length on the
Workmen's compensation bill His speech
follows:
The federal government is a govern
ment OF limited jurisdiction" he said,
and while We have in the Constitution
general welfare clause that enables us
TO establish such institutions as the
Agricultural Department for the general
enllghtment of the farmers and the
agricultural interests of the country: or
mining bureau which enables US to
spend government money for the purpose
OF making experiments to see if we can
prevent those awful explosions that hur-
ry so many thousands of souls into
eternity; or for a cnidren's bureau TO
investigate conditions as to child labor
ana enid welfare, We have, except in the
small District of Columbia, no oppor-
tunty for direct legislation of a charac-
ter that your proposed reforms embrace.
And yet we do have in the general gov
eminent very earnest desire to help
out whenever we may and something
We have gone to the rather extreme
1mit of preventing injurious methods OF
manufacture by the exercise of the tax
ing power.
1T has been brought to me a number
of times that there ought to be a national
committee or commission to Investigate
the question of what your chairman has
referred to, l presume, as 'occupational
diseases That perhaps would describe
the disease that is sought to be stamped
out In the white phosphorus match act
have no doubt that there are other
methods of employment and methods of
manufacture that develop particular dis
eas9s that might be avoided, either by
taking some different methof of manu-
facture equally good, or by finding pre-
ventives and adopting them to avoid
the destructive nature of the employ
ment.
There is no doubt that the public are
aroused on this subject. and are very
much more willing now than formerly to
spend money and time and effort in
bringing about change of conditions,
a1d there is a disposition-and a proper
disposstion-to charge all manufacturers
with greater trust than the common
law ever charged them with, in the mat
ter of the safety Of the surroundings of
their employees.
Engaged in Corrective Work.
I'VE are engaged now in various d.
rections in correcting the harshness of
the common law. We have done that
in the employers liability act. and we
are now doing it in the workman's COM
pensation act. / have given great deal
of attention to the operation of such an
railway employees. l believe Congress is
about to reach a solution of the question.
which will be most useful as a model
and as an example for all contracts of
employment between employer and en-
ploye. That is one of the things we
must look to the general government for.
Congress and | appointed a commission
to make report on a compensation bill.
The effect Of that bill, which ! was
discussing with Senator Sutherland the
nth do ic m ico a mr. h q
payments from railroads to their en-
ployes as insurance rather than as
recoveries under ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
less, it is payment all the same
from about $11 000, 900 or 1000, 900. to
nearly S17,0O0.000, and at the same
time more largely to increase the total
amount actually paid to those who suf-
fer. by decreasing or eliminating those
very large contingent fees that are
sometime or are often so large that
those who recover mean the injured
employee who recovers-is unwilling to
tel his friend how much he really
does pay TO lawyers.
This Workman's compensation act. when
Ii begins to operate so that the confidence
that may be reposed in it is properly de-
veloped, is going to eliminate from our
courts perhaps two-fifths or one-half of the
litigation that now burdens the court. and
is most expensive to the public. There is
no litigation that is so heavy as the suits
before juries for damages. because they
are drawn out, they take up the time OF
the court, they take up the time Of the
witnesses, they are expensive in every
way and if by reducing teh amount OF
litigation one-half we can increase the
speed with which the courts dispose of
their other business, we shall have added
greatly to the real justice that is admin
stered.
Discusses the Opposition.
Il understand there is some opposition
10 the workman's compensation act but
| think that grows out rather of looking
at it from a narrow standpoint than it
does from the contemplation of the whole
act OF course If a man injured by a
railway has collected 10000 or $4,000.
and yet continues to be able to do bust
ness as an employee, that addresses itself
to somebody else who is injured as a
reason why we should not have the limi-