The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1913-03-01
COMPENSATION IS
MOST INADEQUATE
Continued from Pare I

dehned in the bill, practically nre.
serves the fellow servant rule as a
defense for the employer. If an en-
ploye, "by reckless disregard for
safety" happens to injure a. fellow
employe, the employer cannot be
compelled to pay compensation to the
injured employee.
1t must be remembered that en-
ployers will, in most cases. insure
themselves with employers liability
companies against accidents to their
employees. Claims arising from acct
dents will not be paid by the employ
er, put by the insurance company.
Compel Settlement.
Inc personal equation will be lust
as remote under this proposed act as
it is now under employers liability.
The claim agent will be primarily in
terested in saving dollars for the in
surance company. He will investigate
every accident, and if he finds that
an employe, in the performance of his
duty, took chance at a hazardous
piece of work, he will, as he has al
ways done in the past, use this fact
as a club to compel an injured work.
man to settle under threat of forcing
litigation which is always more cost
ly to the injured cmploye than it is
to the insurance company.
No workingmen's compensation act
is worthy Of the name which contains
any reference to negligence in any
form. 1t is the very thing we have
been trying to get away from. 1t has
been the one course of employers
liability that has led to all other evils
that have developed under it.
Indemnity Amounts.
The amount Of compensation pro-
Vided for in s. F. No. 200 is worthy
of the most careful analysis. Pay
ment is made for disa bility upon the
amount Of money!. an employee was
earning at the time Of. the accident.
TIE lowest compensation paid is IS
week. The highest is SO.
A man earning $40 a week would
receive $40 compensation, and a man
earning $40 week would receive $40
compensation, and a man earning $50
week would receive the same
amount of money, and no more than
the man who was receiving only $40.
The report of the Bureau Of Labor
for the past four-year period shows
that the average wage in Minnesota is
about $2.12 per day. Let us say that
the average injured man received a
wage of $3.50 per day. What would
be his compensation under the pro"
posed act?
For loss of thumb, $3.50.
For loss of an index finger, $262.5 so.
For loss of a second finger, 1925.
For loss Of third finger, $3.50.
For loss of fourth finger, $112.5O.
For loss of the first phalange of the
thumb. or any finger, one-half the
loss of the whole thumb or finger.
For loss of great toe, 1925.
For loss Of other toe, SIS.
For loss of first phalange Of great
toe, $112.50.
For loss Of first phalange Of other
toes, $3.50.
For loss of hand, SLIPS.
For loss Of arm, $780,.
For loss Of foot, $9s750.
For loss Of leg, s1.312.50.
For loss of eye, $3.50.
For loss Of both hands, both arms.
both feet, both legs, both eyes, or of
any TWO thereof, or of total loss of
mental faculties, or complete paraly-
sis of both legs or both arms, $4,000.
In no case can an injured employe
be paid more than $4,000 for this loss.
TO receive $4,000 it would be nec-
essary for him to have earned at
least $40 week at the time Of the
accident
In cases Of death by accident. if
the deceased employe leave widow
and no children, the widow will re-
celVe IS Per cent Of the monthly
wages of the deceased for a period
OF 900 weeks.
The widow Of deceased employe
VINO, at the time of his death, earned
$S'oV day, would receive in 300
weeks $1.575.
IT she desired to settle on a lump
sum basis, interest at 6 per cent would
te computed.
II the deceased employee leave a
widow and -one child, they would re-
celve 40 per cent of his wages for
800 weeks, or $500.
1t the deceased employe leave a.
widow and either two or three de-
pendent children, they would receive
81 per cent of his wages, or $2,25O.
If the deceased employee leave
widow and four or more dependent
Children, they would receive 60 per
cent of his wages, or $4,000.
In case of remarriage Of a. widow
without children, she shall receive a
lump sum settlement equal to one-half
Of the amount of compensation re-
manning unpaid. ~ .,..
IT q deceased employe is unmarried.
his parents receive but 35 per cent
Of his wages; that is, if the parents
are wholly dependent upon him for
support. y
# deceased employee has no de-
pendents, the employer will be obliged
to pay the expenses Of last sickness
and funeral. not exceeding 500. IN
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