Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-04
LABOR HEARS Or new BILL
Senator Reagan Gives Talk on
Workmen's Compensation.
CENTRAL UNION HAS DISCUSSION
A. c. weitsel of State oommissio.
Attends and Tells Plans for Draft
Ing Measure to he sahnitted
to Next legislature.

State Senator John Reagan addressed
the meeting Of the Central Labor union at
the labor han last evening on The Work
threw the members OF the union into an
open discussion OF the bill and they argued
II from all sides and angles. All admitted
that the passing OF the bill would be
beneficial TO than.
An outline Of tho bill brought up before
the last session OF the legislature was
given by Senator Reagan. The benefits
which will be derived BY the laboring
men or their families under this bill when
passed will be many he said. Under the
present system when working man Is
injured the only resource he has is-to
bring suit against the corporation for
which he worked. In nearly every tn
stance the working man loses out or Is
given such small Judgment that when
he has paid the lawyers fees he ls iittle
better off than when he started suit.
.under the compensation bill the labor
Ing man receives his rights. He 10 paid
In proportion TO his injuries. when he
proves the manner In which he wes IN
jured and the extent Of his injuries he 10
Immediately peid.
Several states In the country have this
law on their statutes. New York passed
L. but II was repealed about a year ago.
That was hefore the act Of the United
States In regard to this bill was approved
OF by the United States supreme court.
Before this decision was handed down IL
was thought by many states in the union
that the act OF congress was unconstitu-
tionsL"
Tells Of commtsnion,s Plan.
Albert c. weitzei. one Of the men ap-
pointed by Governor Aldrich to serve on
thu commission 10 draft bill to be pre-
scented TO the legislature next Janusty.
told what had 30 far been accomplished
BY the commission and what was Intended
TO be done li~e aeh
lie said that the commission had passed
two resolutions. one making the bill COM
pulsory and the other determiniug the
classes Of work which the hill should
cover. He said that the farm hand and
the domestic servant were not covered
BY this act. fs~tVf nes
The members Of the union were OF the
firm belief that the people employed at
this work should be protected a. well Is
factory hands. The point was brought zip
that mon on the farm were a. subject 20
accidents as those In any ether lines OF
work. il.t n az
Mr.. wsltxsl thought u would be better
to exclude this occupation from the hill
and add clause covering Il after Il had
been passed. He said the majority OF
men In the state Legislature were farmers
and would naturally vote against the bill
n they thought II would be Injurious 20
them III IL bettsr that we set the bin
passed leaving this class Of workers out
Tor tbs present than 20 inelude them snd
have Il fall through ,ts
cemnfstec O. Named.
A committee cotsposed Of the Law com
mittee Of the union aud senator Reagan
was appointed TO attend the nesting Of
the commission IN the city February L.
me bill win be drafted BY the members
OF the cornmissdon on that night.
Aftsr the biii has been drawn Up. Nr.
weitssi said. copies would be sent 20 Ill
the labor unions In the stats and other
interested bodies. A public nassting would
then be held and IL the people were IN
favor Of the bill ~ Il stood II would be
sent TO lincoln. IL not. It would BE-
changed to sun the laborIns people. The
dea OF the commission IL to let the pub
"a, A..fx. a...s -. 49, -. --st.t-