The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-06-21

had case pending In the courts for
many months. No matter what the
outcome was TO be. here she was
starving In the meantime.
She thought the liability law was
already in operation and she wept
when told 1t was not IT may not
benefit me, but thank God II will bene-
At others like me in the futurec she
said
TechnleaIities Eliminated.
Il have studied this subject for
years and / know OF plenty instances
where men were badly hurt and the
employers got out OF paying them
damages. Though legal technicalities.
There will be no legal technicalities
standing between them and just COM
pensation for the injured workingman,
| in the future.
| And mere is another important
phase of the new law: 1t will mean
that manufacturers and employers
will be very careful to guard against
accidents in the future. The number
OF accidents in Michigan was appall-
ing TO the commission. Manufacturers
cannot AFFORD to have accidents. no
matter how slight, when the new law
goes In effect II has been estimated
that 1t will reduce the burdens of the
state labor department fully IS per
cent. Precautions that the state has
tried to enforce against accidents will
now be taken by the employers, and
they will do more thorough job OF
| IL. inasmuch as their dividends are at
stake. A few serious accidents would
put small manufacturer out OF bust
ness.
Most of the employers in the state
will elect TO operate under the law,
as few would care TO throw them
selves on the mercy Of jury, depriv-
ed of every defense. The plaintiffs
| lawyers could play on the sympathies
of the jury and the jury might say:
We'll, the employer didn't care to do
the right thing as provided for in the
compensation law, anyhow, so he
ought TO pay a good sum for this In
jury The plaintiff would at least
get the same award as provided in the
compensation law.
The question Of making the state
and the municipalities subject to the
law was considered seriously and II
was decided that II the law were fair
TO the private employer II was fair
to the public employer, in other words.
we didn't think IL was just to make
the employers swallow something the
state refused to take itself. We dem
onstrated our faith in the law by max
ing 1t applicable to the state and
municipalities.
Manufacturers to Organize,
The manufacturers will probably
group themselves into mutual insur-
ance associations. In Grand Rapids
the furniture manufacturers are get
ting together; in Detroit the automo
bile manufacturers may organize. The
theory of this Is that they know the
risks attendent on their business and
they can simplify matters by group
ing themselves. These organizations
will look to the prevention of acct
dents as we'll as the compensation
part of 1t.
There Is such a multitude of de-
tails attendent on this work that the
department having IL in charge will
be one OF the largest In the state
The other day received a letter from
the Italian consul in Duluth and this
letter set me thinking. II an alien is
killed in Michigan, under the new law
We Will udNt W Pag Ms dCPNhaNhNo IN
the old country the amount provided
for in the law. The consul informed
me that in Italy when a man departs
to work In this country he will leave
his name and family record with the
town authorities, so IL he is killed or
injured in the States we can pay his
dependents.
THE law absolutely applies TO city
employees and there can be no gov
ernmental agency defense. A police.
man who may be injured on his beat
will be able to obtain compensation
and this will be in addition to any in.
surance he may receive from a mutual
insurance organization among the po-
hcemen. The same viii! apply TO
teachers, employees of all city depart.
ments. That was the intent OF those
who drafted the law. and that is its
Interpretation by some OF the best ex.
perts in the state on employers
liability legislation.
lin the end. the cost will come from
the consumers, beyond doubt. The
employers will find il necessary to
pay more for insurance and this will
| increase the cost OF their products.
1 M mill h. ho