Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-25

the employer alone. The defenses may be
iniqutous in themselves; but use is made of
their abolition to compel acceptance Of
compensation acts where an outright Compul-
sorry act is impossible. The employer Is
told, Accept or take the consequences"
He feels that, as compensation acts are
based upon the theory that industry should
be charged with the cost of Industrial acci-
dents, regardless of fault, and that, if negli-
EenCe Of the injured workman is to be ig-
norcd and he is to recover compensation, re-
gardless of his acts, then likewise the en-
ployer's negligence, which in modern indus
try is generally the negligence of his serv-
ants and agents, should also be ignored. So
runs the argument. Now remember that the
success of workmen's compensation depends
largely upon the spirit in which employers
as well as employes-approach the new sys-
tenn of claim adjustment. Consider also one
of the positive reasons why employers
cept workmens compensation. A prime in
duCement is to get away from the old system
Of litigation, waste and uncertainty. If the
employers attitude toward the innovation is
to be favorable any retention of the old sys-
tenn should work as well one way as the
other, and there should he as little of it as
possible.
Going in With Open Eyes
Voluntary acceptance of workmcns COM
pcnsation plan is preferable to coercion, for
reasons which are entirely obvious. Under
the proposed Pennsylvania act employers
and employees are presumed to accept the
provisions of Article III unless they shall
in writing notify each other of their inten-
ton to reject and shall file copy of such no
tice with the bureau created by an auxiliary
act 1t has been said in favor of presump-
A.. "a -.
competition among employers and more uni
formly protects workmen. But Michigan and
Massachusetts, for example, with the method
requiring an affirmative action on the part
of employers in place of presumptve ac-
ceptance, have been as successful as New
Jersey in bringing employers and employees
under compensation. In Massachusetts 80
per cent. of the employers in hazardous in
dustries are insured under the act In all.
about 10000 employers of labor have volun-
tarily provided its protection for $4,000 en-
ployes.
In view Of these facts, and of the further
facts that the sure tendency i'm compensa-
tion legislation is toward compulsory acts,
and that Pennsylvania is already preparing
and planning for its compulsory law, it
would seem wise to permit employers to
elect voluntarily in this State. We want n
good beginning. The spirit of cooperation
between employer and employe in Michigan
and Massachusetts is remarkable, and that
spirit is one of the chief aims and benefits
of the new legislation. In those States the
plan led to more widespread interest in the
principle of compensation than in New Jer-
sey, with a corresponding stricter observance
of the law; so reports the National Civic
Federation, The employers of Pennsylvania,
granted the same privilege would roua nm
der the new plan with their eyes Open testi-
flying by voluntary act that they believed
in the principle and submitted willingly TO
the law.