The Washington times., 1913-02-26
A DANGEROUS SORT OF PROGRESSIVE.
NESS.

The Senate has passed an excellent workmen
compensation measure. 1t is hung up in the House,
denied a vote or a chance Where lies the respon-
sibiliy?
Organized labor by a vast preponderance favors
the measure. The Senate passed it by strong ma
jority. There is no doubt that the House would do
the same if it could get the. chance.
Yet the bill is denied its chance, and there is now
but tenuous possibility of its passage this session.
Three years ago a nonpartisan Congressional
commission directed to study this whole question
of employers liability and workers compensation.
Senator Chamberlain, Democratic progressive, sat on
the commission and united with the other members
in the unanimous report, strongly recommending this
Legislation.
1t passed the Senate, and the House Judiciary
Committee reported it, after holding it long that
it supposed there would be small chance of get
ting it passed this session There has been some
opposition to the measure in Arkansas, North Caro-
lina Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. Elsewhere,
railroad employes-who alone are affected-are
unanimously for the measure.
BY dint of maneuvering and compromise, this bill
is now reported from the Judiciary Committee. The
responsibility is with the House-the Overwhelmingly
Democratic House; the putatively progressive Demo-
cratic House. whether it shall die with the session.
1t will not do to say that there is not time to con-
slider it. The Webb bill, on liquor transportation,
was reported from committee later even than this
vorkmen's compensation measure; yet the Webb bill
ias been taken up by the House, under a special
rule, and passed
Why not, then, special rule for the workmen's
compensation act?
During the suspension period just before the
close of the session, there should be opportunity to
take up and pass this measure.
There would be opportunity, and the measure
would pass, the responsible Democrats in charge
of business we're honestly, sincerely progressive,
they pretend to be.
This is the place where Democratic progressvism,
Democratic capacity to respond to the big and broad
social demands of the time, Democratic sincerity Of
intention to perform as promises have been made,
have reached their final test.
There can be no two sides of the question. This
measure is the most liberal of its kind, toward the
workmen, ever passed in any country.
The workingmen and their organizations want it /;
are here demanding it,
They have been assured for years and years that,
though Cannon and Cannonism would not give them
such legislation, they would get it when the Demo-
Gratis came into control.
Have they been lied to and bunkoed?
They will 60 away from Washington thinking
they have been, if this legislation does not pass.
Democratic pretensions Of progressivism must
meet this test and pass it. The time to do business
is right now Nothing but the worst mossbacked
reactionism could today oppose this scientific popular
economic, and effective method Of solving the ques-
ton of employers liability 1t is nconcevabe that
Democrats responsible for their partys program can
be so ignorant of what is involved in this matter
to permit il to fail.