The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-24

| After interviews with most of the leading manufacturing plants of
 Bridgeport. The Farmer is in posi-
 ton to state that practically all Uf | them, with the exception of the Crane Valve Co., will abide by the new 1 Workmen's Compensation law, as adopted by the last General Assem- l bly,.
 | While no authoritative statement could be obtained from the Crane plant today, owing to the illness of the pres ident, A F. Bennett, it is generally un- derstood that the att1rude of the Crane l Valve Co. is due to the existence of | relief fund, or insurance system, among the Crane employees which has l. been so successful that it is said that | not single action for damages has been instituted by an enploye against 1 the company since it's establishment l here This system is peculiar to the Crane Valve Co..
 l Announcement of the Crane Valve Co.'S decision created great interest 1 throughout the city, for many em- l p1oyes who had looked forward for years to the ens ctment of the law, 1 feared that other big Manufacturers Twoufd follow the lead of the Crane Co., i But the fnvest1ga tl0h by The Farmer l shows that there is no foundation for
 such fear, In fact, the new law is ] about what the manufacturers of the state advocated. It was not passed in its original form, being modified con
 siderably to conform with ideas of the I1aanufacturers. The manufacturer has
 the option of rejecting the compulsory
 features of the law. embodied in Part l B, and to4accept Part A, which leaves
 him in position to defend damage factions, in court, but without the com
 mon law defences of contributory neg I igence, fellow servant and assumption l of risk.
 Figures compiled by the Manufac-
 turers' association indicate that the
 Crane Valve Co. employ more labor than any other. Bridgeport plant, with Bros Go. The latter has 5000 em-
 ployes, the former 2,900.
 l De Yer H. Warner, of the Warner Bros. Co., said his company would ac-
 cept the law. we believe it very
 fair and very just law" said MT. War I ner fl We intend to accept it.
 The American Graphophone Co.,, with ], 600 employees has the matter in the hands of it's legal department. The Birdseye-Somers Go. expects to
 accepe the new law. The Bridgeport MaHeable Iron Go. has it in the hands
 of it's counsel.
 Guy P. Miller of the Bridgeport I Brass Co. expressed surprise that any manufacture should reject the act. l Its what the manufacturers asked HOT, Sa1Q uS. 4n0Y I0S11NO ,LII0 lH- I justice of the old System-the unfair
 ness of making different settlements 1 with different people, He said the Brass company would certainly accept | the compulsory features of the bill. | w C. Bryant said his concern, the Bryant Misunderstanding company, ex- pected to take up the new law, for he could see no reason why any other i course should be pursued. The Bull lard Machine Tool company had not reached a definite decision today. l s. T. Davis, president of the Loco- mobile Company of America, said the l Locomobile company had not definitely I decided what course to follow.
 F. O. Hoag1and, manager of the U. | M. c. Co.,, said he expected to confer shortly with Judge Buckingham, not | having settled, definitely, on what course to pursue. He intimated that 1 the company would accept the com
 pulsory features of the new law.
 c. D. s. Miller. president of the A. T. 1 & s Co, said today his concern in all | likelihood woulds act under Part B of ! the bill.
 The compensation commissioners be- 1 Iteve that the concern that declines to | operate under Part B, or the new law
 as whole. will be an exception. said 1 Com pensation Commissioner E. T. Buckingham today.
 l T have not yet received notice from l the Crane Valve Co. as to their inten- 1 tions in the natter said he. ":But 1 that is not strange, for the printed 1 forms that are to supply to the ! rnanufa cturers, for declaration of l their intentions have not yet been 1 supplied to them. These are being l printed and will be available at the ] town clerk offices throughout the state 1 within few rays. The manufactur- CTS may notify us as to their plans any | time prior to Jan. 1 next. The law be- r comes operative on that date'' 1 Judge Buckingham pointed out that 1 one of the phases of the new law that 1 is going to attach great responsibility l to the commissioners themselves, is the l matter of the responsibility of the
 manufacturers to pay for the damages l that may be due to their employees un- der the law.
 The commissioner stands as an ar
 bitter between the employer and the
 employe'' said he. There is no appeal l under the law, for the injured work
 man. but to the commissioner himself.
 The allowance. must be paid. speci-