The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-09-04
COMPENSATION
ACT IS PRAISED
Assistant Insurance Commission.
er Declares II Is Success

Robert K.>Orr of Michigan state In.
snrance department in an address be-
fore the delegates To the National AIu-
tual union meeting at Niagara Falls
this week, lauded the Michigan COM
pensation act as a means for conserv-
ing life and limb. A decrease in the
number OF industrial accidents was
noted since the law become operative.
Mr.. Orr said. in part:
PROM what | can learn of the pres
ent conditions of the industrial health
ana accident business in Michigan, |
believe that the different lines have
adjusted themselves to vlbrate i'm
harmony with the worl<men's compen-
5atlon law
When our present law became eff
fective there was an average of two
workingmen killed and 80 injured i'm
the course of their employ mcnt dur
ing every working day i'm the year.
Now the records show accidents have
been eliminated SO that the average
is only about one killed and 90 in
iured. or in other words, the Number
30 per cent and the non fatal accidents
IS per cent.
The greater happiness of mankind
is hut one of the good features of this
great reform. There is an economic
side, which will AFFECT nearly every
walk in life. BY that, | mean the re
duction of the loss rate i'm industrial
Insurance and also the elimination of
the expense of litigation These two
facts are being proved every day in
the operation of the Michigan law.
10000 Cases Settled.
As 10 litigation. it is only necessary
To state that out of some 900 acct
dcntS reported To the industrial acct
dent board, more than 10000 cases
have entered the compensation period
and have been settled 10y agreement
II has been necessary to arbitratc but
rs cases, of which 80 have been APP
pealed To the fun board. and six have
some 10 the supreme court. Appeals
can he made only on questions of
law: the facts are always decided by
the board
The Michigan law is without doubt
the most successful i'm its operation of
any similar law i'm this country. i
attribute this To the fact that the conf
pensation is so well balanced and
conditions under the law are so much
more satisfactory TO the employers
that they do not hesitate To come UNI
der
When the law became effective
sept |, 1912. there were about 1000
employers under the law, while today
We have more than 5000. and | have
no doubt that the time will come
when nearly all of the employers of
Tho state viii be operating under the
law.
Sees Firm Take Chance.
1T is a fact also that the employer,
who has not accepted the compen
cation law, is taking a great chance,
and is almost sure to have trouble in
case OF injury tu an cmployc. ! know.
however. Of instances where an en-
ployer. who is not under the law, has
settled with an injured employee by
giving him the amount specified in |
the law. An injured employc is, of
course. not obliged undir such circum- |
stances to accept settlement according |
to the compensation law, and could |
doubtless collect much more by start
ing suit.
The accident fund was not started |
until about three months after the law |
became effective. We do not employ |
solicitors, andahave RETAINED from do !
ing so as a matter of economy, and |
also as matter of courtesy To the in
surance companies and their agents. |
! might add that We feel that il is |
10 quite an extent a matter OF pro-
pricty.
Accident Fund Grows.
The accident fund has made y good
substantial increase and today has 40
subscribers. including about 60 state /,
institutions and departments This
was from beginning of a subscribe
prS.
The most gratifying feature of our
operations. however. is the low cx-
pcnsc of management, which is now
running about per cent of the pro-
MUM income. We also lind that one
of our large clements of saving is in
the adjustment of claims. We attribute
this To the Willingness of injured en-
ploycs to accept settlement without
pickering or attempting To force un-
Just payments. To date 1t has not
been necessary for us to- arbitrate a
single case.
h. /