The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-12-16
Il disaster 81 comes through me year.
without the loss OF "a single lie IN,
1.-The pursuit Of his btsine ss actiy tiles
Curious Situations

For purposes Of economy the OPP
Grafton of the new Law Is made a
branch of the West Virginia public
service commission, of which Lee
OFT is chairman, with special duties
in regard to this branch, Charles H.
Bronson, VIC Kilmer and Howard
N. Ogden. R. B.JBernheim Is secre-
tary of the .scommission. Calvin
Young is CLAIM tclerk. The: depart
ment of compensation has "a working
force of about fifteen, including, three
field inspectors, whose duties are the
investigation Of, claims and the en-
forcement OF, the law. AS would be
expected, curious situations are en-
countered. For instance, a young
man was killed recently. His widow
was left with two children, and the
prospects Of third within four
months. The third child will share
in the BENEFITS with. the other two
already born. Cases have already
arisen where the supposed widow
and orphans OF foreigners killed in
this state are located in other lands.
Foreign residence does not disbar the
beneficiaries from participation In
the awards and consuls have these
cases under Investigation.
The inspectors and claim clerks
require evidence of marriage in maxi
ing awards to the widows and chill
dren. 1t is therefore important that
the marriages among the working
classes of the stateibe hereafter care
fully recorded. The question of illc-
climate children is yet a matter for
decision. Separation of husband and
wife for period of one year is, a
cause for rejection OF claims.
Back to the Farm" Help.
The new law will probably work
out as a help 10 conservation of the
natural resources of the state, and
also make of West Virginia an ad-
vance agent Of the back to farm"
movement. For in the disposal OF
the awards. the department, of which
the secretary Of state is custodian of
funds, is given wide range of Sc
lection in settlement. may be tri-
he in the van In predicting that ere
long the rich valleys of the state will
see the widows Of the mining camps,
the timber lodges and the manufac-
turing stiles, comfortably located on
little garden patches and truck farms
which have been purchased for them
through the good graces of the gen.
ial compensation department, and
there making bright the future of
little family that otherwise would be
dependent upon the wash tub and
the charity of neighbors for the ne
cessities of life. But is not this
pretty picture of The future-the
widows and the orphans of the land
working in the sunshine of the green
of springtime and the golden hours
Of October harvest on little patch
Of earth given up to them through
the combined good will Of the state
end the states men, of ,:wealth?e 1t
Is the diamond 81 d pure type OF so
cialism never attained, hidden in the
crystal waters of that great foun-
tain we call Brotherhood
Governor Hatfield has other meas
ures under his microscope. Perhaps
he will use the knife; perhaps the
soothing oil that is the cure Of time.
There will be no opposition. There
will be approval. There will be the
cry that old methods have been pour
cd into the new kettle; that new
doctrines have been strung out on
the old clothesline: that new reforms
cannot be worked out by old hands
and in old hearts,, But there is a
widespread accord that the work
mems compensation In West Virgin
la looks like success, and will be
Aloysius Coll in Pittsburgh Dis
patch.