Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-08

WOrkmanS compensation anu SelllnS
out the liability of the employer,
which is now in the hands of the Iowa
legislature, was characterized as un'
lust to the employe and the employer
In paper delivered by Henry Phillips
before the meeting of the Iowa Asso-
ciated Dailies Thursday in Des
Moines. Mr.. Phillips urged that no
hasty action of this bill be taken, but
Instead that more thorough investiga-
ton be made and before writing on
the statute books of Iowa an enact
ment that would prove disastrous. The
Ottumwa manufacturer favored uni
torn compensation law for all states,
saying that many manufacturing
plants in Iowa send men to otheS
states to erect structures and uni
form measure would protect them all.
Mr., Phillips said at the outset that
the demand for workmen's compensa.
tion laws had left trail of hasty and
lnconsiderate legislation. Sixteen
states, he said, had passed some such
legislation, and he reviewed the re-
suits as follows:
New York adopted compulsory
compensation law. This was declared
unconstitutional by the New YORK
supreme court. That decision was
against one particular kind of COM
pulsory law. The Montana supreme
court declared a restricted compulsory
compensation law unconstitutional.
The lower court of Maryland declared
compulsory compensation law OF
narrow application unconstitutional.
The lower court of New Jersey has up
held the constitutionality Of it's law
which Is not compulsory and it Is now
up to the supreme court on appeal
The highest court of Washington has
declared their compulsory compensa-
ton law constitutional, and those VINO
are dissatisfied with 1t are now talk
Ing of carrying it to the highest court
Of the United States, confidently be-
lieving that such court will reverse
the lower court. The New Jersey law
Is elective, that is, both employer and
employee may elect to work under the
compensation law, or under the ola
common law There, the insurance
features are so favorable for the EN-
ployer that it does not cost any more
to operate under the law, and there
an overwhelming majority do operate
under this law. In Massachusetts the
law is SO satisfactory In most partlcu-
lars that insurance companies charge
less for liability insurance than under
the common law. Practically all en-
ployers there operate under the COM
pensation law In both New Jersey and
Massa chusetts employers are per-
mitted to insure in either stock or
private mutual companies, and they
thus have the benefit of competition.
IN Wisconsin and California the COM
peIfsation laws are so drastic that 1t
costs much more for insurance to
operate under them. The inevitable re-
suit has followed, that large ma
iority Of employers in those states
have elected not to accept and operate
under the provisions of the compensa-
ton law. In Illinois the compensation
law Is so drastic and insurance rates
consequently so high, that only four
coal companies in that great coal pro-
ducing state, where the mines employ
more than 10000 men, are operating
under that law. While the Illinois law
is so unsatisfactory to employers, 1t
is also unsatisfactory to employees, as
is evidenced by the fact that the
United Mine Workers of America are
now demanding the repeal Of that law
and the enactment of another in it's
stead.
The Case In Washington.
I'm Washington the industries are
placed into forty-eight different groups
or classes. and every employer Is re-
0uired under heavy penalty to con-
tribute to a fund for that class on
q.
Rardless of whether the employer may
be careful or careless about SAFE
guarding their workmen against acct
dents. The rate making and distrlbu-
ton of the funds is in the hands of All
Industrial insurance department or
three members who are appointed by
the governor This department is en-
powered to appoint and employ
auditors, assistants, and doctors, IN
every county in the state. or in plain,
unvarnished English, they are per-
mitted to draw from and reward
horde of political henchmen for serv-
ices rendered the then dominant
political party.
SIN Washington an employer who
uses every precaution possible to pre-
vent accidents; who puts guards on
machinery; who instructs and warns
employees about the handling and
operation of dangerous machines is
penalized for taking this extra precau-
ton and expense by being required to
contribute for all accidents in his
class though they may occur on &C
count Of insufficient protection. and
on account of use of antiquated and
WORKOUT machinery in some COM
petitor's plant.
"The result is that there must in
evitably be nothing short Of indiffer-
ence to the protection of employees.
What workmen need more than COM
pensation for accidents is prevention
OF accidents"
Mr.. Phillips said he had referred to
these features of the laws Of different
states to demonstrate that they are all
pioneering and cropping in the dark.
81 believe" he said, most en-
ployers of labor recognize that our
present system of compromising work
men for accidents, or more correctly
speaking, of settling disputes regard
Ing compensation for accidents. is
S,,,l%xy ond can he imDrOVed uDOn by