Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-02-19
How Labor Views the legislature
Press Agent
Of Labor
LABOR'S FIRST AID BILL.
Important Measure Introduced in Opposition to
Employers Fake Bill-Hearing Is Held

Important Measure introduced in Opposition to
Employers Fake Bill-Hearing Is Held.
OLYMPIA, Feb Ex-senator John E. Camp
bell, labor member from Snohomish county, in
troduced labor's First Aid" bill in the upper
house last Thursday morning. 1t is Senate Bill
ISL, and its main provisions are as follows
The First Aid" fund is to be created by the
payment into the industrial insurance depart
ment, beginning on or before the 10th day of
July, 1915. and for each and every month there
after, by every employer engaged in extra haz-
ardous work, two-thirds Of one per cent Of his
payroll for the preceding month"; provided that
such monthly payment may be omitted from
time to time and for such length Of time, as the
industrial insurance department may allow,
whenever in its opinion the amount on hand in
any division of said medical aid fund is sufficient
to meet the demands which will accrue against
such divisions for any specific length Of time.
In addition to the payment of the above pre-
MUM the employer shall pay all costs and ex-
penses of conveying any injured workmen to
the hospital or proper place for treatment with
out any unnecessary delay.
The employer is prohibited from making any
deductions from the wages Of his employees for
the purposes of the first aid fund, and any such
attempt constitutes a gross msdemeanor.
The injured employee is to have the right
under this act to select physician surgeon
of his choice, and where the nature of the injury
is such as to require hospital treatment he is to
have the right Of making that selection under
such reasonable rules as the commission may
establish.
All medical and surgical treatment for the
first 80 days are to be paid out of this first aid
fund. II after 80 days further treatment is re-
CURED, the same may be furnished by the COM
mission out of the fund until such time as final
settlement Is made or the injured workman ia
placed on the permanent pension roll.
To assure proper treatment and reasonable
charges for the same medical advisory board
is created. to consist Of the chief medical exam
liner Of the commission the president and the
preSident-elect of the Washington State Medical
Society, whose duty 1t shall be ito advise with
and assist the department when called upon to
do SO with respect to all fees and charges on
account OF the treatment or care of injured
workmen and in the establishment of rules and
regulations regarding such treatment and care"
Labor decided to introduce its own bill after
the employing interests had given the double
cross to the commission bill, which was a COM
promise measure that labor never would accept,
by introducing the Kleebe bill While the COM
mission bill was very undesirable. since 1t pro-
vided for a six day waiting period, made the
workers stand for half the expense of first aid,
accepted the pernicious contract hospital system
and many other Objectionable features, the
Kleebe bill outdistanced all these by taking the
whole matter Of first aid out of the hands of the
commission and giving it over exclusively to the
employers. provides that the employees contrib
ute 0ne-half of the fund, legalizes the hospital
system and provides for q fourteen day waiting
period, as we'll as many like impossible features.
The labor bill thus becomes the strongest and
most satisfactory measure before the legislature
on this subject. It has the support of all the
doctors of the state outside of the contract doc
tors, who by reason Of their evil practices have
become stencil. Also many of the fair minded
employers are supporting the labor bill as per-
fectly fair and proper measure.
II the legislature refuses to pass this law labor
now stands in an advantageous position to
secure the enactment of the measure by the ini-
tiative at the next general election. For this
time it will have a bill that will unite many
strong factors in it's support that would seem to
make its success certain.