The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-11-27

/ with all due Difference to the gov
ernor, and not impuning his motives,
we feel that we cannot accept the ap-
| pointment rendered us, as the State
! Labor Movement, through positive in
! struction, voiced in convention, stands
committed to the fundamental prn-
ciple of First Aid embodied in Initia-
tive Measure No. 8. Unless the State
Labor Movement departs, by official
expression, from that fundamental
principle, it will be futile for us, the
| servants of that movement, to serve
upon a commission which in the very
nature of things must be opposed to
the principle referred to above for
which Labor stands. We might be
willing to make concessions in the
matter of administration or in minor
details of the BILL but we are unalter-
ably opposed to any part of the fin
ancial burden of first aid falling up
on the shoulders of the injured work
man. We are aware that the major
ity of the commission as named is
not in accord with Initiative Measure
No. 9. We stand, as we did in the
beginning, behind that bill as written.
Not wishing to sit upon a commission
with which we must disagree from
the outset, we have respectfully de-
ol;o 81 bo -
Following is the joint letter sent to
the governor by Marsh and Flyzik:
Seattle, Wash, Nov. "a, 1914.
Hon. Ernest Lister, Governor,
Olympia, Wash.
Esteemed Sir:
Upon receipt of your favor of recent
date, requesting us to serve upon a
commission appointed by you to draft
a "First Aid" amendment to the COM
pensation act, to be presented to the
next legislature, we gave the matter
very careful thought In as much as
the Organized Labor Movement of the
SIdlG ldo NCGH Nlldlly IuItltSItu II Jill
the outset in the matter of compensa-
ton and a suitable First Aid" pro-
vision, we thought it best to refer the
matter to the executive board of the
Washington State Federation of La
Dor. We also consulted with other
representative men in the state labor
movement. 1t is the unanimous ad-
vice of the executive board of our Fed
Grafton that we respectfully decline
to serve and for the following rea-
sons, with which we are in complete
accord:
From the very beginning of compen-
sation study in this state, Organized
Labor has held to be fundamental that
industry should bear the cost of ac-
cident" This principle holds no less
true in connection with First Aid
than with the main act itself, Labor
consented to a pro rata assessment of
First Aid" cost in the first instance
not because it believed it was fair, but
because it appeared impossible to OBJ
| tain any First Aid" legislation with
out that concession. What happened
| in the legislature to the First Aid"
amendment is history. At the last an
nual convention of the State Fedora
/ tion of Labor, Organized Labor of the
state went on record in favor of a
First Aid" law, the fundamental prin-
ciple of which should be the placing
of the whole First Aid" cost upon in
dustry. In accordance with instruc-
tions of that convention a campaign
was waged for Initiative Measure No
4 8, embodying Labor's fundamental
views. This act was apparently de-
feated in the recent election. Certain
employing interests publicly attacked
this bill You were not satisfied with
the bill as drafted and publicly stated
that We're the bill defeated you would
= appoint a commission to draft an
J adequate" measure. 1t is the belief
of the executive board and of repre-
i sentative men with whom we have
, talked that there is no possibility of
this commission, as constituted. agree
Continued on Page Two)