Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-05
APPOINTS FRANK J. HAM AS
WARDEN OF STATE PRISON.
Announced by Governor Haines, on Tuesday--NeW=
bert Introduces Bill For Change in Augusta
Charter--=WOrkmens Compensation
Before MISUNDERSTANDING.
WoRKMEN's COMPENSATION.


The matter of Workmen's compen-
sation for injuries received in the
performance of duty was heard be-
fore the committee on judiciary in aft
ernoon and evening sessions, Tuesday,
in the Hall of Representatives.
Roscoe G. Eddy of Bar Harbor, rep
resenting the Maine Federation Of
Labor, was the first speaker. Mr..
Eddy said, in part:
Il desire briefly Ia state labors no-
sition in regard To the bill now before
YOU. the measure introduced by Sen
ator Stearns of oxford. During the
past 40 years, many foreign countries
and numerous states in our own coun-
try have enacted laws that greatly re-
ieved the distress and suffering of the
great army of workers afflicted by in
dustrial accidents. They have also
passed laws and adopted preventive
devices that have greatly reduced the
number of accidents. While these
great changes for the good of hui
manity have been taking place in 9TH
er states and nations, the State Of
Maine has done practically nothing.
The patient and efficient workers of
this State have been left to the mer-
eies Of brutal system, but at last
the people of the State are thoroughly
aroused They are awake to the fat
that a great injustice has been done
by allowing this evil to so long exist
The bill presented while not as far
reaching as some of the laws in other
states and countries, has been pre-
pared with great care, and if passed
as we trust and believe it will be,
should do much to relieve the deplor-
able conditions that now exist"
Mr.. Deasy Explains Bills.
The matter of the two employees
compensation bills, the Stearns bill
and the Smith bill, were then taken up
~ Mr. Deasy, who said that in the
main these were alike. They differed
in two or three particulars. He then
explained that he should not discuss
these measures section by section or
separately, but would point out what
they did.
The common law Of today was in
fact an employers liability measure
which in one case of seven cOmpen~
stated the employee. The employees
tOliI ptiISdlipI1 act went d SitJ LuIllItI
and compensated the employee in eight
out Of eight cases. He called atten-
ton to the fact that in 1911 there
were 100000 people killed in indus
trial accidents in this country Dam
ages, he said, to the employee should
be treated as part of the cost of pro-
AUCTION, just as was the damage to
machinery and eventually be paid by
he consumer.
In the past 40 years. beginning with
Germany. every European country,
except Turkey and the Balkan states,
had adopted this law These named
in the exceptions would soon do so,
but they We're very busy just now.
The state of Washington, he said
had compulsory compensation law
and the supreme court of that state
had declared it constitutional Ma
other state in this country had that
feature; theirs were all elective He
believed that such a law would be I'M
constitutional in this State.
1t was his judgement that $500 paid
in weekly installments would give
more relief than twice that sum in a
lump later
Roy Marston.
Rep. Roy Marston of Skowhegan
said he had been asked by the rep
resentatives of labor to say a few
Continued on Page Two.)