Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-29
INTRICATE QUESTIONS CON-
srANrLY ARISE REGARDING
COMPENSATION STATUTE.
DEPARTMENT TACKLES NEW
ONE ALMOST EVERY DAY
iRospo nsibiiity OF Employer If Work
man Is Killed by Lightning While on
Duty Ono Of --latest Puzzles-Fine
Distinction Drawn by English Courts
on Same Subject
Special to Times-Republican.

Des Moines, April 29.-The great
variety of puzzling questions that come
up in connection with the administra-
ton of the workmen's compensation
law Of Iowa is constant surprise. The
industrial department gets a new one
almost every day.
The advent of the season for killed
by lightning reports has suggested that
this is one of the things about which
there never has been agreement. II
workman is struck by lightning while
at work is that an accident within the
course of his employment? One such
case. it is known, is headed for the
Iowa industrial department for decision.
A grader in road camp was called into
the kitchen tent to aid with the work
after supper and the tent was struck
by lightning The question is whether
the employer is to be held liable for
that loss.
Welker Given. secretary to the COM
mission, finds that a nice distinction
has been drawn in certain English
cases on the subject of lightning acct
dents For instance, a workman who
at the time was on Scafold about
twenty feet high and in contact with a
wet wall, was injured and an English
court held that his employer was liable.
But another workman engaged at the
time in trench at work slightly be-
meath the surface of the ground was
held to have been injured merely as a
part of the dangers Of ordinary life.
The difference was as to whether me
hazard was increased by the nature OF
the employment
It is found upon investigation that
very large number of lightning acct
dents Is recorded each year in Iowa.
Actual use Of convicts in farm work
is to be tried out on the state custodial
sarm, even If the legislature did refuse
to provide any way for eQuipping and
managing said farm. A batch Of ten
men from Fort Madison has been re-
ceived at the farm to go to work clear
ing it up and engaging in farm oper-
atoms. They will have the advantage
that Is given tho TRUSTEES who engage
in outside work Of adding very mater
tally to their good time allowance.
The Thirty-Exth general assembly
went home without making any ar
rangement for paying for washing its
dirty linen.
a. A bill canas to the new custodian this
,week for $217.e5 Tor washing 2,17o u
4 do1am towels marked senate towels"
Z Tho present custodian knows nothing
about it. No state official authorized
any such an account. It is supposed
the washing was for the senate and
house towels. For the first time this
year they had the small single towels,
tho the roller towel was not entirely
abolished and paper towels were also
available.
Legislators went home and forgot to
pay for the washing, and nobody here
Is authorized to pay for it.
Apparently the bondholders Of the
street railway company IN this city are
not making any effort at all to secure
a franchise and have no expectation Of
securing one before the expiration Of
the time when, under an order Of court
they must get out. This is in June,
but they are asking the federal courts
TO stop proceedings and interfere with
the regular or der and proceedings Of
the court Mr.. Harris, who really owns
the car company, having acquired it
thru lending money to the company
and then taking It over has been mere
to hold a meeting and re-elect Emil
Schmid, to be president of the COM
pany The failure of the franchise pro-
motion scheme last year has not forced
any change in management as yet.
In the opinion Of Prof. Mahannah, OF
the normal training department Of the
state board of education. at least some
OF the criticism of state institutions for
duplication of work Is without merit
For instance. in regard TO preparation
for teaching.
There Is an interesting demand for
teachers in special lines" said
Mahannah, Il was at the state uni
versity the other day and addressed a
graduating class in domestic science
and talked to them especially in re-
gard to teaching. The most OF then
are preparing for teaching. Wha'
more appropriate than that the specia
training for teaching be given at the
university along with the domestic
science? So, also, 1t is the right place
to train teachers Of agriculture at thu
state college, and therefore an educa
tional department is properly main