Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-03-16

| or an innocent victim hundreds of miles away.
 Sometimes the bills are punched in what is known as an omnibus claims measure and put through together. In 1 that case, in the final conference the conferees treat them as pork bar rel,' fixing the amount to be paid in damages not on the basis of the merit of the claims, but according to the political influence of the congress- man or senator who introduced them. A notorious case of this delay Oc- cured recently in claim presented in behalf of Miss Alice Houghton, Washington girl. About two years ago Miss EIoughton, who was an en- ploye in the census bureau, had her hair caught in machine in the office in which she was working. Her scalp was torn off. She was pretty young woman and besides disfiguring her for life, the accident caused injuries which made her suffer for months Skin grating had to be resorted to ill order to save her life.
 A bill was introduced about two years ago, shortly after the accident to give Miss Houghton $15,O0o dam- ages The liability of the govern ment never was questioned. but de- spite great amount of publicity in the newspapers and numerous speeches in both branches of congress on the case, it was not until few weeks ago that a bill was passed giv- ing Miss Houghton $S,0O0 damages. The average claim of this sort re ceives no publicity whatever and doesn't stand one per cent of the chances of final success that Miss Houghton's did.
 Secretary Wilson's bill not only would provide a quick method of re- dress for government employees in cases of injury, but would provide compensation for them whenever they may fall a victim to so-called occu- pational diseases.
 An employees compensation commis- sion would, under it's terms, be cre- ated with power to settle all disputes in cases of this kind between Uncle Sam and his workers.
 If a government employe be totally disabled he would be paid 65 per cent of his monthly compensation equal to 65 per cent of the difference between his monthly pay and his monthly wage-earning capacity after the be- ginning of his partial disability.
 If partially disabled employe re- fuse to work after suitable work has been furnished he may not collect compensation while such refusal eX- ists. If he be found to be suffering from an occupational disease he may be suspended by the commission and paid 65 per cent of his regular sal ary. The monthly compensation for disability of all employees shall not be more than $65 month nor less than $325O.
 If death result from injury or from an occupational disease within six years after the injury or suspension of work due to disease of this kind, it is provided that the United States shall pay the following compensa- tion:
 To the widow, if there be no child 336 per cent of the victims salary. To the widower, if there be nc child, 8 per cent if wholly dependent Ten per cent for each child up to a certain limit.
 To the children, if there be no wid, l over. 25 per cent for one child and 10 per cent for each additional child
 To dependent parents, 25 per cent.
 To brothers, sisters, grandparents
 and grandchildren, if dependent, 2(
 per cent.
 The compensation would be paid for period of eight years and various
 other administrative provisions are
 contained in the measure.
 Three commissioners to constitute
 the compensation commission at al
 annual salary of 5000 each are pro-
 yided for. The bill would apply tt
 all civilian employees of the govern
 ment except those employees on tht
 Panama canal and the Panama rall 1 road