Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-02-13
COMPENSATION
ACT IS A MODEL
How the Federal Governments
Plan Works..
THE INJURED GOT s7O4,814
Relatives of Those Killed Received
MISREPRESENTATION Earl Gives Fig
ures From Aug. I. 1908. to Dec. I,
1911-$300,OOo More Since.

ISIl-$SuU,UuO More since.
ment Of commerce and labor has sub
pitted to Secretary Nagel of that de.
partment Il compilation of his opinions
dealing with the government work
mems compensation act, under which
compensation is granted for injuries to
artisans or laborers employed by the
United States This is the pioneer
among compensation acts in this coun-
try. Since its enactment sixteen sta ties
have passed laws Of s milar charac-
ter, and the number is likely to be in
creased during the coming sessions of
state legislatures
The money benefits paid under this
act between Aug. !. 1908, when ii be-
came effect We. and Dec. l, 1911, aggre-
gated $704 Sl4.G0 paid to injured per-
sons on account Of nonfatal injuries
and $112,ST902 paid to surviving de-
pendents o account of fatal injuries.
Since Dece nhcr. 1911, additional bene-
fits amour ing to near. 100000 have
been paid. During the rst year after
the passa q of the act 1906 claims
F, were subn ltted, of which 1859 were
allowed. i uring the second year 1924
claims Wee submitted and 2,499 al
lowed.
/ n ~ Statute Applies.
! The pres al statute applies only to
artisans or laborers employed in GER
tain specifi d branches of the public
service OF in certain hazardous occu.
pations under the government. Any
workman covered by the act who is in
1ured in tn course of his employment
lis entitled 10 receive for one year there.
after, unless sooner able to resume
work, the same pay as II he continued
to be employed. except where the in.
Jury was dc TO his own negligence or
misconduct If the injury results in
death duri Z the year the compensa'
ton allowed is pa able to the widow
or children or dependent parent
Mr.. Earl emphasizes that feature OF
the act VIII II permits of the establish
ment Of a simple and direct mode Of
procedure. whereby the technicalities
provided C, y speedily be given, and the
further fl tire whereby the govern
ment Is Jr0idden to exempt itself
from lab lily by any contract, agree
ment, rul or regulation.
Solicitors Statement.
In this onnection he says:
1.-THE pI pmpt payment of compensa'
}tion at a time when the breadwinneI
Is stricke and money Is most needed,
without rcing the claimant to pur
sue an ell borate. expensive and dila'
: tory proc - Of proof, Is one Of the
striking b nefts of the act Being in
its nature remedial statute, it is
rightly SUI ;ceptible of a liberal inter
probation, us cOntrasted with strict
interpreted on, i'm order to bring home
the benef : intended. Such has beer
| the interpl tation regularly applied by
the secret ~ of commerce and labor
without, VI course, disregarding any
Of the linn ations of the statute or ex'
tending 1t beyond It's term"
In spea. ing further of the nature
and benef : of the act the solicitor
states that il marks distinct step in
advance al substitutes an enlightened
modern vi ~ for certain obsolete doc
trines of ~ common law since it moi
only gives IL remedy where none eX
listed befor !. but it valves the right OF
the govern ucnt TO exemption from liza
bility and diSpenses with the necessity
Of appeals to congress in individual
cases.
The sole tor notes that more than
1900 accidents were reported under
the act du ing the first three years OF
Its operation, whereas only about 5000
claims Wee filed, due to the limited
scope Of the law, and strongly urges
this as an indication of the need Of ex
tending the benefits of the act by sup
Elementary legislation. Such legisla'
ton, In fact, has been recommended
by the secretary of commerce and la.
Dor, and measures designed to enlarge
tho . aaN