New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-06
Workmen's Compensation
Is Boon to Mechanic and
Employer Alike.
MAKES RELATIONS
MORE HARMONIOUS
Mike and Tony Get Quick Action
and Their BOss's Premiums
Are Not Wasted.

torneys and insurance adjusters sur
round the table behind which SIT two
human looking state officials and
shorthand reporter.
ANY one may see this group every
ether week in the Milwaukee City Hall
However. only a few people come as
spectators. Truly the scene IS incon-
spicuous; it is also epoch making.
Il marks the beginning of an era OF
Justice to workingmen. and the hml-
-ation Of economic waste. II is an open
demonstration Of society's begettirg Of
sense Of applied justice Most peo-
rle will say that society's sense Of JUS
tice is no new thing. And, theoreti-
cally. Il isn't q new thing. But prac-
tically it is q new thing with the en-
phasis on the "is
This starts like a socialistic story.
But il isn't. It's the story Of one
phase Of q movement that spells JUS
tice not only for worNngmen but TOT
employers. How? By saving employ.
ers money, by assuring the payment OF
workman and his family that they Will
not suffer entire disaster through bod
jlv injury Of the breadwinner,
II should be said right here that the
Wisconsin workmen's compensation act
aids dividends. But il does more than
that; il heirs the workngman to get
Justice. The conclusion is that the
workmen's compensation act Is TO EN-
plovers and workinRmen just about
what the brisk east wind is 20 tne sail
ing schooner.
Three Years Ago.
This is what happened in Wisconsin
only three years ago, when Mike
Iaborskv was injured az work
Mixes unconscious form was lald
aside. the doors were locked, the am
bulance was called and fellow en-
ploves were ordered 70 stand aside
and give i'm air The ambulance
drew up with a distant clang, the shop
doors swung open. and Nike was spirit
ed away 20 a hospital
His family was notified. Also the
insurance company was notlhed. III
those DAYS. when the employer nouhed
the insurance company the latter
claim adiuster grabbed his camera and
FASTENED 10 the scene of the accident.
His pictures usually showed that Mike
was hurried" through his own fault.
The next stage setting IS Mixes
home Tire larder is empty; Mike
wife Is talking in hushed voice. 10
neiehbor The Riddles are wondering
what IFS an about. There's no money
in the house. Mixes employer, posi-
blv. wanted 10 hand Mikes wife few
dollars. but the insurance agent SAID:
Don't do it. IF you give money TO
Mixes family il might be said that you
admitted liability for the injury.
So Mikes family went hungry ana
Mixes friends In the factory talked
about the elusive thing called justice,
and they didn't close their iniorma,
discussion by singing the national
anthem.
In Court at Last.
Tho next scene is a courtroom, two
wears later. II has taken that period
for the slow machinery Of the law 70
Grind around to the case OF Mike
Iaborskv against the Jones Manuiact-
urir',- CCmDanv. Il takes two days 10
choose a Jury Nike and his wife and
ead-qved children )requsluoned by
Mikes lawyer to impress the jury SIT
vide-eved and curious. Inc attorney
examine the witnesses. including NIKE
EMPLOYER. who chafes at the loss OF
/ time and the red tape.
The case seems ready for the jury
when the attorney for the insurance
/ company addresses the court. me
/ Judge ponders. Then he advises the
/ iury that it is discharged. Mike mas
/ lost his case. because, as the learned
/ counsel for the defendant has pointed
mi fhTOnQn
negligence of a fellow servant
That in the old days was Justice"
with a small a."
Payments to Workmen.
In the twenty-eight months Of expe-
/ rience up to January l, 1914, under the
workmen's compensation act, total Of
$500 .854 IS was paid 10 workngmen OF
Wisconsin or their dependents. This
sum represents the amount paid IN
6.S94 cases. IL does not. however, IN
clude medical expense, which is about
80 per cent Of the amount paid as com
pensation The total is approximately
$594,531.
Every penny was paid by employers
direct or through insurance companies
which the employers paid for assuming
the risk. OF the 1854 claims entirely
settled. only 1856 involved differences of
oninion or disputes demanding formal
action bv the industrial commission.
All the others were settled amlcably be
tween employers and employees. NO
. lawyers were needed.
In June. 1914, 90 per cent OF all IN
dustrial accident cases came under the
compensation act In one month last
winter a total of S42,55O.3O was PAID IN
csc cases. Take CSC cases for one
month as the basis for years busl-
ness and the total cases handled in the
next twelve months will be 1922; the
total amount paid out, including medl-
cal expense, will be approximately
S765,9OO.
Cost Of Old System
In 1908 the employers Of Wisconsin
paid as insurance premiums 70 liability
companies SGOO.S These premiums
were 20 protect the employers from
law suits.
OF the S6OO,s64 paid 70 insurance
companies by employers only $296,S7l
was expended by the insurance com
panies under the classification OF
. Closes" This does not mean that the
$296S7l was paid 20 injured workmer
or their dependents. IL means that this
{ amount included payments 10 lawyers
who fought claims Of employees, the eS
pense Of sdjusters and investigator
and the amount paid TO the injured
workman or his family. Not more thar
$4,000 out of the S600,S64 ever went
20 the sufferers.
Five years ago Wisconsin manufact-
urers. lawyers mot all the lawyers
but some of them, labor unions and
the courts got sick Of personal dam
age cases. They saw that millions OF
| dollars were wasted. They saw that II
workngmen continued TO get hurt al
| lhn.r mnrk u-thnmi nrnmlsn OF relle f