The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-05-11
Frank M. Smith Explains
Compensation Measure to
Large Audience at Com
mercial Club Rooms.
EMPLOYE IS FAVORED
New Law Seeks to Bring
Employer and Laborer
Closer Together in Improv-
ing Dangerous Tasks.

The biggest attendance at a Com
mercial club meeting for a year heard
Frank M. Smith, secretary OF the In
diana Association of Manufacturers
and Commerce, give brief outline oil
salient points in the workman's com
pensation act last night.
Parts Of the act favorable to work
men as outlined by Mr.. Smith follow
The operation OF the law is elective
to each individual.
Medical service of the best kind and
hospital service II necessary, is Ger
tain
Compensation at the rate of fifty.
five per cent of the average weekly
wage Of an injured employe under the
act, must be given after two weeks.
The law will mean that every eff.
fort will be put forth by employers to
have machinery and dangerous parts
protected by safety devices. minimiz-
ing the chance OF accident to work
men.
Blocks Old Argument.
An employer cannot charge that the
employe was aware Of the hazards of
a position before taking 1t, and thus
assumed the risk with full knowledge
of the possibilities of injury and is not
entitled to compensation or damages.
Dependents Of workmen will not
suffer during his period of idleness
through injury.
The law seeks to compensate and
care for the man who Is really in
jured and not the lingerer who will
remain at home more than two weeks.
done him. The conscientious work
yno1i0narc
guard themselves against the law be-
coming in i'll favor
The compensation is from $3.50
weekly to 1920 weekly. based on
wages from $40 to $24 weekly. Work
Mea earning less than 80 q week will
not receive less than $3.50 compensa-
tion and those earning more than $24
cannot get more than 1890.
When the employer and ~vmpfUye'
both elect not to operate under law,
the liability of the employer will be
the same as though he alone had re-
jected the terms Of the act: he is
stripped Of the defenses of negligence.
contributory negligence and assump-
tion Of the risk by employe
Forbids All Contracts.
No contract or agreement, written
or implied, no rule, or regulation, can
be made by employer relieving him
Of liability to workmen.
The law is expected to bring en-
ployer and employe closer together.
Mr.. Smith outlined some of the good
points about the law and some of the
sections which will be protective to
the employer.
Employers have the right to dis
charge workmen regarded as risks,
49, Ix-ir h4k ,@1a
workmen. including pensioners"
which every business carries, waive
the right Of compensation in order to
hold their positions.
Employers have protection against
maligners in the right to name the
physician. The employer, as an eco
nomical proposition, can use whatever
means he sees fit to hasten relief from
injuries in order to save himself the
payment Of compensation.
Employers can demand that en-
ployes come to work at any kind of
employment they are capable of after
injury. If the workman insists on re-
naming at home, compensation
ceases.
Abuses of the law By will
cause society to rise up = '@mand
a repeal of the law.
The law is built around the princi
pie of prevention of accidents and any
measure provided for safety by en-
ployer must be used by employees.
Employers have the right to elimin
ate from their business careless en-
ployes or employees addicted to the use
of intoxicants.
The method of payment Of compen-
sation, which is weekly instead of in
a lump sum, relieves the employer of
the heavy payment at one time.
stretching the payment over a period
of one to four years, according to the
nature of the employees injury.
A business concern rated solvent
and financially able, is not required to
come under the industrial board but
can manage its compensation system
entirely within itself.
No compensation is paid for two
weeks. Compensation starts the fif-
[Continued On Page Eight