The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-11-12

Scannell. He has Just completed q
tour of the state.
There is plenty of work in Iowa
and nearly all of the trades men are
busy" he declared.
Mr.. Scannell whose home city IS
Detroit, has been connected with the
Boot and Shoe Workers union for
twenty years. He is remarkable
man, having left school when II years
OF age to take up his place on the
bench in shoe factory. When %
years of age, he began to study. Now
he Is recognized as one of the most
able and best posted union orators in
the country.
Mr., Scannell is friend Of Peter w.
Collins, the lecturer, who recently APP
peared in this city. They worked to-
gether for four years
Seamans Address.
Mr.. Seaman, who spoke on the
workmen's compensation law before
Scannells address and on the child
labor law afterwards, opened his re
marks by giving history Of the pass
age Of the former law.
IAN attempt was made" he said,
ito get workman's compensation
law through the thirty-fourth general
assembly, but it was fought so strong
| ly that it did not pass. A commission
was appointed to labor on new bill
to be introduced at the next session.
Two We're introduced, the Clarkson
bill and another one, and out Of the
two, the law as 1t now stands was
passed. This law provides for COM
pensation for all injuries except those
self made and those sustained in
drunkenness. Fifty percent Of the
wages received is paid to the injured
man starting two weeks after the &C.
c1dent. ....
"This is not all that it should be.
Employers are apt to keep the wages
of their employees down where work
mems insurance Is carried.
when employer and employe can
not come to terms, there is an indus
trial board that settles all disputes.
large part of the claims and others do
ance. They call it indemnity to the
employer. This type Of insurance
company Is opposed by state and
workmen alike"
Only Beginning.
Mr.. Seaman stated that the present
law was only a beginning and that he
believed that 65 percent Of the in
jured mans wages should be paid
from the date he was injured. The
speaker cited several cases where in
surance companies had tried to defeat
Justice. One was the case of boy
who. was injured while out of school
in the summer. When he returned to
school the compensation was stopped.
Also If a married man is killed his
wife does not get a lump sum- but is
paid in installments, so much week.
If she remarries. the compensation
stops and the rest of the money Is
taken by the insurance company.
The speaker said that prior to the
last general assembly the insurance
companies went into towns and cities
in Iowa where they did business and
organized to oppose legislation that
might work harm for them. He said
that the state manufacturers associa-
ton was with the insurance companies
"a Their than the workers of the state.
Seaman said that the time would come
when the proper adjustments would
he made. He said that the workers
should elect the right men to the
legislature and stand up for their
rights with a united effort.
Mr. Seaman briefly explained the
child labor law Of Iowa and said that
he was we'll pleased with the legisla-
ton. "No excuses are accepted for
violations" he said, "and the enforce
ment in Iowa has been strict. There
are many bad conditions in Iowa. but
these are slowly being done away
with"