The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-06
INJURED WORKMEN
WELL CARED FOR
Liability Bill Grants Employees
Much Greater Compensation
Than Expected.

| Washington, D. c.. January 5.--Aftel
months of investigation the Commits
sion on Employers Liability and
Workmen's Compensation huB com.
plcted revised druft OF u tentative
bill Tho subject matter of the bil
was urged Oh the attention of Con-
Gress by President TAFT, and the feel
ing Is general that on tho owe OF
election both parties will be glad to
pllcate tho labor vote by passing this
measure. or something like II. The
commission. by the act creating II, was
not directed to report before March l.
but with the revised draft OF the bill
uiready prepared II is not ualik ely
That the report Will shortly be made
The bill itself has not been intro
duced yet in either House. The bill
has tho approval OF the nonpartisun
commission. headed by Senator Suth-
erland. OF Utah. and composed OF Sen
ator Chamberlain. q -Jemocrat from
oregon; Representative Bruntley. u
Democrat from Georgia; Representa-
tive Moon, Republican from Penn
sylvania; w. C. Brown. president OF
the New York Central Railroad, and
u. l. Cease. editor OF the RAILROAD
Trainmen.
Senator Sutherland is ono OF the
studious lawyers oil the State, and the
j..
extraordinary detail the !nucnincry for
inforcing the collection Of damages is
provided and exceptions Of apparently
every ,S conceixabie kind are PROVIDED
Tor. The blll occupies forty-three
printed PAGES as IL stands. In general.
the compensation provided IL far high
or thun was expected.
The bill ronnnes Itself TO railroads
and trolley lines.
Tho commission has decided that
compensation shall be paid by the en-
ploying common carrier direct 10 the
injured cinploye or his dependents.
lhese payments shall DO made on u
basis OF percentage OF wages paid
at the time OF the injury. Gnd though
an 'Hdjustcr" Is provided for every
judicial district, settlements may also
DO made by special arrangement be-
tween employer and employe. But the
amount shall not dcviate from the
ages be asstsnd by the injured EN-
ployc. nor gnall dumaBes be attach
able Tor debt. while the claim OF the
injured cmpioyc small constitute u
iirst lien upon tho property OF the
employer. and take precedence over
every other claim except taxes.
The act specifics that monthly wages
snail be cons !dered as twrnty-six times
the day wage payable at the time OF
tho accident. BUT no employees wages
shall DO considered az more than $l00
or less than 500 Il month, except that
where the wage IL actually less than
SIS month payment for the frst
twenty-four months OF disability shnll
not exceed the tull amount or euca
monthly wages.
The compensation provided whore
death results from any Injury and 10
nc paid for period OF eight years, va
ries according 10 the number and earn
Ing capacity OF the dcccasads family
1t Is also provided that where pcr-
inancnt total disability re:uit from any
injury. there snail be paid 10 tho m
lured employs 90 per cent OF his
IA. n. "a ~, .r Z
nls lie. In the following cases II
shall be conclusiYcly persumed that
the injury resulted in permanent total
The total and irrovocable loss of
sight In both eyes. the loss OF both
tect at or above the ankle. tho loss
the loss OF one hand and one foot. an
injury TO the spine resulting In nor
mnnent and complete paralysis OF TIC
legs or arms. and an .nJury to tho
skull resulting in incuruble imbecility
or insanity.
In case of temporary total disabil-
ity, due to any injury. so per cent of
his monthly wages is to be paid tho in :
jured employ. during the continuance
OF his aisa billy.
While permanent or partial diEabil-
!ty results from any iniury. 90 per
cent. OF his wages must DC paid the in :.
jurcd employe for the Derious stated, as
follows:
In case OF the loss OF one arm. sew
hIty-sevcn months the loss OF one leg,
sixty six montas. and tho loss OF one
foot at or above the ankle joint, forty
eight months.
The permanent and complete loss of
hearing IN both ears. scventy-two
months; In one ear. thirty-siX months;
the permanent and complete loss of the
sight of ono eye, thirty months; the
loss by separation or Il thumb thir-
teen months; first finger. nineteen
months; second ilngcr. seven months
a third finger. six months; fourth
finger, five months.
The loss of one phGlanGe of a thumb
or two phalanges II finger shall be
considered equal to the loss OF one hal (
OF thumb or of finger, and com
pensatiOn for onc-nalf OF the above
period shall be payable.
lange of thumb and more than two
phalanges of a finger shall be consid-
cred as the loss of an entire thumb
or finger.
This extraordinary list of casualties
ls further supplemented by exceptions.
Provision IL made for the existence Of
widows and children outside the United
states; provision la made for the deata
OF. beneficiaries on their reaching n
state OF Independence. The remarriaEe
OF widows removes them from the
pay roll, while the employe of one road
injured through the act of another
road collects from his employer, and
the employer sues the rival COMPANY
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