Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-07-22

well for the bettemen conservation of labor Of all
classes and conditions. involves not only the prevention
of accidents to worknen but also the of victims.
dozen years the casual observer might have con
Guided that reasonable precauon had been adopted to
promote the safety of labor When attention point
ed in this particular direction in specific and intensified form
most of us able to think of host of ways in which
the safety of workers could be increased
An interesting study in and effect is afforded by
consideration of the influences growing out of the movement
for workmens compensation laws of which Vermont is now
testing for the first time under the enabling clause OF
our amended State constitution.
AS it became necessary under the law for en-
oyers to insure the lives and earning capacity of their en-
poyes both employers employees in the different States
became intensely interested in the introduction OF safety de-
vices in mills and factories and Every possible means
already known being adopted prevent the occurrence of
preventabe accidents and American ingenuity turn
ing its attention to the multiplication of safety devices AS
in the of the invention of the alleged safe
ty devices good and Ineffective and worthless but
their multiplication is index of the movements extent
Experts estimated that large part onethird of
the preveta accidents could be eliminated by the mechan
ca guarding of machinery alone Twenty years ago or so
nobody dreamed of erecting any barrier prevent
poye from coming contact with the gigantic circular
in the mills while those familiar with the old mill
with it's upright moving up and down remember
the with which they inspired by the powerful teeth
that rushed toward them with increasing they
upon the log frame Nobody thought then of adopting
precauton except to the boys to Look out for
yourself That the slogan of most people in earlier
age.
Along with the adoption of mechanical guards against
injury to wormen came also the elimination Of accidents
these agencies of safety the United States Steel Cor
poraon that great has reduced the proportion of
other companies report similar gratifying results
You have seen for yourself mechanical safety devices in
shops and mills well railroads. 1t is interesting in
this connection to note the way in which organized effort is
helping to make it safe for to work in mills and factories
well directions the great manufac-
turing a safety inspector plant The
Illinois Steel company for example has also organized
nees three workmen in each the various divisions
the plant each workman serving thereon rotation Safety
rules printed in various languages posted consicuous
gateways Safety bulletins posted every entrance,
and safety tokens distributed to workers in departments
having the best record.
which es made the number of
accidents reduced by twothrd in ten years while vari
other showed reduction of from fifty to sixty
five per cent in the number Of accidents in similar period
AS happens in Of late, distinction between
for claim of exemption of interstate railroads from the
The gst of the decision of the New York court of appeals in
this particular direction is not only that the law consu
ona but also that all employees of interstate railroads and
come under the provisions Of the law The great systems Of
railroad claiming that the law was meant to apply only to
insurance for employees to admit it affected them.
This decision has bearing interesting questions that
have raised by corporations companies
gardng Vermont measures The New York court appeals
holds that the State in the enactment of workmans
pensaon law has taken only such steps as it was entitled
take protecting employees of foreign corporations oper
ating within the boundaries of the commonwealth.
rn aoeS noT aTec dee er b
merely undertakes to regulate the relations between en-
and no doubt do ndrec affect commerce but to the ex
tent that may affect interstate foreign it is
E n T51a the eces St
Another claim, made familiar to the people Of Vermont
in connection with the Vergennes railroad station
that the New Yorks workman compensation act violated
the Fourteenth amendment of the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States by taking property without due of law
Concerning this point the decision of the court of appeals
says:
"This subject should be viewed in the light of modern
conditions, not those under which the law doctrines
developed. With the change in industrial conditions
opinion has gradually developed which almost unver
sally favors Just and economical system of providing
compensation for accidental injuries to employees sub
stitue for wasefu and proraced damage suits, usually
and sometimes to both Surely is competent for the State
in the promotion Of the general welfare to require both
poyer and employee to yield something toward the establish
ment of principle and plan of compensation for their mutual
protection and advantage The before seems to
be fundamentally fair to both employer and employee
1t is not improbable that all of the questions eventu-
ally be carried to the Supreme Court of the United States
In that event it will be interesting to note the extent to
which the principles involved in the Empire State decision
overturned by the higher tribunal nasmuch as the New
York distinctly says the jurisdiction Of the State is
held these and interests until Con-
by entering the field excludes State action it diff
cult to how the jurisdiction Of the federal authorities
could be held by the Supreme Court of the United States to
suppnt State jurisdiction in the absence of congressional
action.