Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-11
An Unfair Law.

OMAHA, Dec. 9.-To the Editor OF The
Bee: The beauties of the so-called "em-
ployers' liability or compensation law
were wildly brought to my attention
within the last few days.
A strong and hearty young married
man, who was dangerously injured while
in tho employ Of a great corporation
came TO consult with me about his case
His injuries were most dreadful and sick
eniag too look upon. Yet under the beaud-
full compensation law he gets the
munificent sum Of IS per week to sup
port himself and family while he has
been unable to earn a cent for four
months, and skilled physician. who Is
not in the employ Of the corporation, tells
him II will be a number OF weeks before
Il will be safe for him to work at all.
and yet the representatives of this cor
poration are trying to force him to go
back to work 80 they will not have to
pay the IS per week any longer.
He suffered intensely for many weeks
and had many people received the In
juries he did II is doubtful II they would
live through 1t. The young man came to
see II there was not some way in which
the so-called employers liability act could
be set aside and recover damages for the
terrible injuries he had received. Ny
hands were tied by this UBIQUITOUS law
and was helpless to do him a bit Of
good. He said the compensation law
ought to be called the law of oppression
II the young mans case could be tried
before jury of honest men they would
not take long to give him from 5000 to
$4,000 for the injuries he received, for
1t is doubtful II he ever RECEIVERS from
them and may yet lose a part of his
physical being.
1t has been the style with a great many
reople In the last few years to strike at
lawyers and their profession, and I sup
pose one reason It is kept up Is that few
lawyers strike back publicly or resent the
imputations that are cast upon them
every day of the year. The so-called
compensation act is one OF the many
clubs that have been used to strike at the
legal profession. and 1t has struck so
hard that 1t not only hits lawyers, but
hits the workingmen still harder. Wage
earners struck themselves a harder blow
than they struck the lawyers, and It is
no wonder they are starting a movement
for its repeal. and l hope they will sue
coed in their efforts to strike out a law
that should never have been adopted. and
which / for one voted against when IL
was submitted TO the voters last year.
The movement TO have free legal advice
Is another club to be used against law
yers. I know OF few lawyers who will
take advantage OF a poor man. and
know that lawyers give more free advice
and lose more money on account OF dis
honest men who can pay than in any
other line OF business.
II we have free legal bureaus, why not
have free newspapers printed at public
expense for those who say they cannot
pay for them2 Why not have houses put
up az public expense and let people who
say they cannot pay rent live In them
free OF cost9 Why not carry this COM
munistic idea into every line OF life and
have everything free for those who say
they cannot pay for them7
It Is time the legal profession would
arise In its might and combat the fads
and fancies that have grown up IN the
last few years TO the detriment Of lawyers
and everybody else as well.
F. A. AGNEw.