Bisbee daily review., 1915-06-23
COMPENSATION LAWS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED
 IN THIRTY STATES
This Year Witnessed the Addi- ton of Eight States and Alas ka to the List in Which Work men Are Benefited.

ready in effect, eight more states and the territory of Alaska have this year been added by the action of their le- gislatures during sessions which have just come to a close. This growth of the movement toward safeguarding the welfare of the laborer and his de- pendents is revealed in the summary of this years legislative activities, which has been compiled by the As sociated Press. The summary also shows progress in the abolishment of child labor and in the direction of limiting the working hours of minors.
 The additional states to adopt workmen's compensation are Wyom- ing, Montana. Oklahoma, Colorado, Maine, Indiana, Vermont and Penn sylvania. Favorable action toward the enaction of such a measure was also taken by the legislature of Utah, which created a commission to inves- tigate the question and report bill for the consideration of the next legislature. In one state which con sidered the matter, New Mexico, a proposed workmen's compensation law passed the house but was defeat ed in the Senate In Idaho, the bill was voted by the governor. Several other states revised their former laws in order to insure more efficient ope- ration.
 Somewhat different standards as to the way in which compensation should be awarded and the law administered are shown in the measures enacted this year but this lack of uniformity is also a feature of various laws pre- viously passed in other states. For instance. under the new Colorado statute injured workman will receive 50 per cent of their wages during in- capacity, though not Go exceed $S week. In case of total permanent dis ability, the compensation is payable through life. When death results from the accident, the workers fami- ly is to receive a similar amount for six years with a maximum of $2,5O0 In case of loss of eyes, hands, limbs or other members. similar payments are to be made for a specified period, varying from a few weeks to four years, dependent upon the nature Of the injury.
 Employers are required to insure payment either in a state insurance fund to be created of a mutual or stock insurance company Admins tration is placed in the hands of an industrial commission of three mem bers who shall adjust disputes and with authority to make awards if em- pIoyers or insurance companies ne elect 10 make payments promptly Court proceedings are thereby practl cally eliminated.
 The Maine law, however, awards her injured workmen payments by the employer of not more than $lO a week in case of total disability with maximum of $500 Heirs in case Of death receive the same and the scale of payments for those partly disabled ranges from S4 to S1O a week.
 Pennsylvania provided for the pay ment of fifty per cent of wages, but not more than SlO or less than $5, with a maximum total of S4,0O0. The act is elective and takes away from the employers the common law de fense, but the people will vote in November on constitutional amend. ment permitting the legislature to make it compulsory. The act creates a state insurance fund, but employers are permitted to protest themselves in any other form of insurance of carry their own risks on approval of the Buerau of Workmen's COmpensa ton which will administer the law Domestics and agricultural laborers exempted.
 The Indiana law provides no state insurance, but permits the employer
 Go seek it where he chooses, or moi at all, if he gives proof of his financia ability to pay the compensation. This lis fixed at 55 per cent of the average wage not to exceed 500 weeks and ir
 case of death. burial expenses Go the
 defendents not to exceed $l00 and 5i
 per cent of the weekly wage for 300
 weeks. Domestic servants and agri
 cultural laborers are exempt and thos' engaged in interstate commerce. The
 law is elective with both employer
 and employe and is administered by state industrial commission
 Forty per cent weekly wage not t'
 exceed 800 weeks is the basis of tn, Oklahoma law
 Iowa and Alabama are the state , which prohibited child labor Main,
 adopted a law under which womeI
 and boys under sixteen employed il f mills, factories and laundries are no permitted to work more than 54 hour
 week. Pennsylvania enacted
 statute limiting the hours of labor O children between n and 16 years C !, 5l hours a week A feature of th law is that all such children employee must go to vocational school at leas
 eight hours week which must b }, lcomputed in the 51 hours thus mal
 ing the actual working hours 43.
 further provides that no messenger y under 21 years can be employed b e a telegraph telephone or messenge
 company after s o'clock al night an
 that no child under l2 can sell new
 papers. A statute alous similar lile