The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-10
LIABILITY BILL
MEETS APPROVAL
Endorsed by Officials of Virginia
Federation of Labor as
Advance Step.
RAILWAY MEN ARE OPPOSED
Ask That Act Be Amended to
Eliminate Them From It's
Application.
RAILWAY MEN ARE OPPOSED

The movement to put on the Virginia
statute books comprehensive work
ingmen's compensation act designed to
eliminate the economic waste attendant
upon Industrial accidents, received its
Ing last night before the joint Senate
and House Committees for Courts Of
Justice. on the. companion employers
liability bills introduced by Senator
Wcndenhurg and Delegate Challley.
officials Of the Virginia Federation
5 6i.h Labor gave the pending measure
notifications Legislative representa-
tives of the organized railway conduc-
| telegraphers, on the other hand. regis
that If the bill Is made law I It be
alton
The hearing lasted from $50 until
u o'clock. The committee voted to hold
Thursday night, at which time II viii
conclude the public examination and
prepare to make Il report
Ask to he Left Out.
y. A. Dodson. OF Portsmouth,. legisla-
I've representative of the order OF
that the members OF his organlzation
Considered the bill detrimental to their
best Interests The maximum compen-
| ~ the measure, he said. was less than
~ obtained BY railway men In ordinary
adjustments.
The men ne represented, he said
made from 1925 to $500 Il month, and
the maximum disability compensation
OF SIP q week provided by the act was
whoiiy inadequate. He asked that the
employees.
r. Catlin. OF this city. Legislative repre-
sentative or the Brotherhood of Loco
mo I've, Et a Every provision OF
n
BY railway men. It's provisions, no
thought moreover, reduced the amount
the State laws. He Joined with Mr.
Dodson In asking that railway men be
exempted
delegation from the organized
raiiway foremen, trainmen and tele-
srapners was on hand to ask for a
d d,In linf r, exemption exc but made no adj
NJ. Cousins, legislative representative
OF the brotherhood OF Railway Train
men; i: J Clark, OF Clifton Forge, leg
hood OF Locomotive Firemen, and L. p
alSks. OF Graigsville. president OF tho
oroer or Railway Telcsraphers
| Virginia Labor for Hill.
b. Z. Dawson, OF the Virginia Federa
ton OF Labor gave the bill his un-
under consideration. he thought. with
minor amendments. would admirably
meet the need for comprehensive act
those who labor against the conss-
ouences Of Industrial accidents.
~ would have the further effect, he
safeguarding OF dangerous machinerv
ny erecting the attention of employers
possibility OF accident. ''ie
bi a Was FlS s,ron Sy iqd9Tsemsnt OF the
Labor. The act. he said. WAS Ion ul
e ont s In the right direction; He pointed
should be modified Q -
| Expert Makes Analysis.
city seeretsrn wo Of Msy York
pensation Publicity Bureau. reyt eo,n
the employers iiability iesisla e ,iop ef
niii pnSer ana ND. E,durope. comparing the
enacted by the several States and conns
tries. tries, The proposed bill. he said, was
which. he said is from ' nenrey ev Jaw.
standpoint the best workmen's COM
pensation act in the country.
lwenty-two of the States he s.ia
nave nave: enacted workingmens compensa.
t L laws In one form or another. Every
Being nduss Hdinfry a ths. lays claim to
an S,. against Industrial accidents SIS
iin,;ntion OF the, WendenbnTs .e che enaLn
PIN, pointing ouI sections which might nft
t t1 r,hp ire ed Considered in Its en-
measure oto
Willis Notes Legal Defects.
-. n. Wins, or Roanoke, found much
IN inc Dill TO criticize. It's fundamen-
tai defect, he said, was that Its scale
or compensation was altogether too
low. Instead OF assuring to WORKING
men generally gain in settlements for
| INJURIES, he said, the bill COMPENSATED
the empioye who Is injured by reason
| OF MS own negligence and is entitled
| TO only modest dana gcs, at the expensa
or the employe who receives injuries
through the negligence of his employer.
and who could on that ground nro.
cure much higher compensation in the
| courts.
| Legal objections were raised bv Mr..
| w ms against a number of other sec
| tons In the bill. Practically every
page he said. bristled with defects
which should be removed before the
| bill is made law.
| both patrons of the BILL agreed last
| night TO incorporate an amendment
excluding from Its application all en-
| ployes OF railroads. MIR. Jones thought
the bin In it's present form exclude
| this class of workmen by limiting
the application of the law to persons
employed in industries OF an intra-
state character. Opinion on this point
| differed, and 1t was decided that a
| clause expressly eliminating railway
men would afford the greatest safety.
HELD FOR TRIAL.