The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1915-08-13
Labor Will Fight
Liability Insurance Profit
Mongers.

WOaAA SahSA - AGiSoN IA NANlk "a
forts to have the Industrial Com
mission recognize them in the writ
ing of workmen's compensation in
surance, the liability insurance
companies did not, as promised two
weeks ago, file their brief in sup
port of their contention, with the
Industrial Commission, but trans
ferred their field of endeavors to
the Department of Insurance, OF
Ohio and the Superintendent there
of, Judge Taggart.
For the purpose of securing a de-
cision upon their asserted right to
solicit and write workmen's com
pensation In Ohio, the insurance
interests had three companies the
London Guarntee, Travellers and
Aetna, ask Supt. Taggart to pass
on the question of their right to DO
this kind of business In the state,
and requesting licenses permitting
them to do the same.
A hearing was set for Thursday,
July %, at the Departnet of In
surance, by Supt. Taggart. In at
tendance were ex-Superintendent
of the Insurance, A. /. Vorys,
Representing the insurance com
panies, the members of the Indus
trial Con- mission and Secretary
Treasurer of the Ohio State FEEDER
tion of Labor At that time chair
man Yaple replied to the argument
of Mr.. Vorys. and opposed grant
ing to the insurance companies the
right to solicit and write work
mems S compensation in Ohio. L.
ter he filed brief with the Super
intendent of Insurance more fully
setting forth argument against
granting the request of these com
papies.
On July 80, Supt. Taggart hand
ed down a decision favorable to the
insurance companies, and which
was followed by the issuing of IL
censes permitting them to compete
with the state in the writing OF
workmen's compensation.
The excuse for his action is based
on the fact that Section 95l0, Para
gragh 2, General Code relating to
the licensing of insurance compa-
nies, specifically repealed at the
time Of the enactment of the work
mems compensation law.
The fact that nowhere in the
statutes Is permi given to
write workmen's compensation ap-
pears to have been overlooked.
Likewise is the fact apparently
overlooked that workmen's com
pensation has supplanted employ.
ers' liability, and that as this latter
form of insurance has become
a State function under the Consti.
tuition and the law, a constitutional
change must take place and the
statutes be amended to permit the
insurance companies to engage in
the writing of guaranteeing OF
workmen's compensation.
The insurance companies have
been playing for tactical advan-
tage, and from results so far OBJ
tanned by them there can be NO
doubt that this caused them to
cease their efforts before the In
uuSlildp SOLu ulSStOh duu llduclCl
their energies to the Insurance De-
partment.
The Ohio State Federation OF
Labor Is convinced that the liabil-
ity insurance companies have nc
right to engage In the workmen' $
compensation business In Ohio,
Notwithstanding the decision of Su-
perintendent Taggart, and these
interests may be we'll realize pow
that Labor of the State will use
every lawful means available to see
that the privilege just granted them
is speedily taken away.
We are not excited or hysterical
over this question, but grinly de.
termired. Every step taken will
be duly considered, and everything
possible done to prevent the work-
ers OF OHIO falling back into the
hands of these proit-mongers and
their representatives.
By Thos. ]. Donnelly, Secretary
Treasurer, O. S. F. of L.