Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-25
Especial Correspondence. ]

of New York, affords insurance against
that
Many predict that Professor Com
mons will prove to be the strong man
of the commission. Mr.. Walsh himself
has made this prediction. In any event,
Professor Commons is certain to be
heard from as one Of the members.
Professor Commons is we'll known in
Washington. He is close friend Of
Senator LaFollette, is a man of radi-
cal but constructive tendencies, and
has studied the questions into which
the commission is to go deeply.
Commons Strong Man.
Those who know Professor Commons
are aware that he had as much to do
as as any one man. II not more. in
shaping the legislation for valuation
Of the railroads of this country. The
colossal nature Of this legislation II as
yet but little appreciated but 1t Is
bound to be in time. Eventually 1t will
be preceived that single false step by
the government in the valuation Of the
railroads means millions to the coun-
try each year for years to come In the
way Of increased freight rates. Profess
sor Commons gave the senate inter
state commerce committee much sound
advice as to pitfalls to be avoided
and the result was piece Of legisla-
ton generally pronounced sound from
the standpoint Of the public.
Interest has been drawn to the work
OF the industrial commission Of Wis
consin since the appointment Of Pro-
lessor Commons. He 10 the guiding
spirit Of that body and his selection as
a member Of the federal industrial
relations commission 10 . blow to the
Wisconsin commission. tho 1t IL to be
expected he will still give the Wiscon-
sin commission the benefit Of his coun-
sci. The Wisconsin industrial commits
sion is In its infancy and has not yet
worked out the problems before It.
Still, it is attracting attention the
country over because Of its purposes
and plans. If it succeeds in working
out its problems 1t will have marked q
great step forward in dealing with in
dustrial questions. It represents an ef-
fort to set new standards for the adj
justment by government OF the rela-
tons between capital and labor. What
it has done thus far 10 likely to be
taken to an extent as a standard for
the new federal commission on indus
trial relations. It 10 an attempt, thru
a single body. to deal with the pro-
lection of the health and safety Of en-
ployes.
Authority Of Wide Scope.
This Wisconsin commission is In
tended not merely to administer the
workmen's compensation law but also
the administer of the laws relative to
factory inspection. Thus. while work.
ing out the difficult subject Of COM
pensation, it il clothed with authority
to better conditions under which men
Much of it's work 10 investigative and
Its authority is far-reaching.
Professor Commons in recent sum-
mary of the Wisconsin commissions
work said the employers OF Wisconsin
in 1911 paid $1,O26,O00 to liability In
surance companies but scarcely $780,
600 Of it reached the pockets Of the
employees or their dependents; that TO-
900 industrial accidents occurred In
Wisconsin each year. 100 OF them being
fatal and others causing disability Of
seven days or more. But scarcely 10
per cent Of the injured receive any
share of the 100000.
What the Wisconsin commission, ac-
cording to Professor Commons IL try
ing to do, Is to reduce the $1,025.000
paid by employers and raise the $780,
900 received by the employees. with dis
tribution among 10000 instead of 1000
employees. 1t will help employers and
employees by reducing accidents and
lettering health Of employees and by
fixing definitely the compensation for
all employees who are injured will
greatly widen the area for the dis
tribution of BENEFITS.
Commons Understands Situation.
Professor Commons has gone per-
haps as deeply into this question as
any man In the country. His presence
on the federal commission suggests the
strong probability that one Of the
chief things that commission will give
attention in a big. national way is the
promotion Of better conditions as to
health and safety in establishments
where men and women are employed
and the working out on q great scale
OF the subject Of compensation for
those injured in employment or made
i'll a. the result Of employment. This
10 by no means all the new commission
has TO work out but 1t Is one great
phase Of Its inquiries.
MRS. PANl<HURsT cRIrlcALLYILL
= s