New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-27
ASKS PREVENTION
Casualty Companies ASSalIed by
Counsel for State Federation.
STEAL INSURANCE PAPERS,
Present Compensation Bill De-
nounced and Civil Service
Called Handicap.

Charging casualty insurance companies
with fraud. perjury and even the theft
of insurance papers from workmcn who
carried policies John T. McDonougn'
counsel for the state Federation Of La
Dor. in an address before the second ses-
sion of the National Civic Federation at
the New York Board of Trade and Trans
portation Offices yesterday, bitterly de-
nounced the present workmcn's compen-
sation bill. While in the Legislature, and
before IL reached the courts, this bill, he
declared, was the "juiciest' ever offered
to Albany politicians.
The speaker wanted TO know what as
surance Francis Bynde Stetson, who dis
cussed the constitutional amendment that
might have to be put through before the
state could enjoy compensation. had for
believing the supporters Of compensation
would he able 10 change the state con-
stitution He admitted il would be easy
sailing If the amendment did pass the
people in referendum, hut pointed out
that amendments were often rejected at
election time.
Mr. McDonouGh then launched forth
into a denunciation Of casualty com
panles. and warned the delegates that
they must be careful not 10 play into
their hands. He pulled a bundle Of pa
Ders from a pocket, and declared he had
records Of cases where insurance papers
were stolen from workmen after accI-
dents and sent TO the companies, so that
the widow would be cheated out OF her
Just dues.
"The working people of the state don't
want to be in with these Insurance COM
panies," he said, and added that the
workmen should be told. in explanation
Of the proposed law, that they would lose
nothing II they Joined the movement.
whereas II they stayed out they would
have only the remedies offered at com
mon law.
Thomas ]. Curtis chairman OF the Joint
compensation board Of New York and
president OF the Tunnel Workers Union,
said:
I'VE do not want compensation; We
want prevention. There is hardly day
during the year that there Is not fatal
accident in our industry. We do not be
l!eve that our men are responsible for
these accidents, but / am referring 20
tunnel workers and not 10 the men who
handle explosives.
Whenever man is killed by an ex-
plosion the Coroner's Jury says 'prcma-
turc blast There is no such thing. II r.
always somebody's carelessuess. The men
who examine applicants TO handle ox-
plosives do not know stick Of dynamite
when they see It. Any one can get n
license. ] myself saw n man on FIFTH
avenue, an hour after he received his
license, smoking his pipe with a load Of
caps in his breast pocket That showed
how much he knew about explosives, yet
he was able 70 satisfy the examiners.
civil service IS what handlcaps us. /
know Of twenty-sevcn men who were
turned down by the board for failure 10
answer nOnsensical questions. ONLY en-
gineers or college graduates could have
answered them How much carbonic
air in 30 many feet Of compressed alr?'
was one Of the questions These twenty
seven men were not asked about the wav
to brace up section OF tunnel Il II feu
or how 10 handle a shield.
AS far rs the compensation law intro.
duced by the State Federation of Labor
goes ! will say that there has been some
difference Of opinion. l do not believe
the employe should be compelled 10 pay
for his own accidents. In that case II
will take all his time to pay, and he will
be working for nothing Inside Of two
weeks we have buried ten men We do
not want the cost to come out OF our pay
envelopes"
Charles Henry Butler. Of the American
Bar Association, said he believed COM
pensation for injured workmen in New
York State should be compulsory.