Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-09

| L1ROM Stable Boy to Premier is the title
L which an American publisher would
give to a campaign biography of John Chris
tian Watson, the distinguished labor leader
! of Australia, now visiting Philadelphia and
other American cities. Mr. Watson was born
in Valparaiso in 1867 of Scottish parents,
His family migrated to New Zealand while
he was a lad and there he learned the print
er's trade. He went to Sydney, N. S. w, a
! few years later and accepted the first Job
! that offered. This happened to be that OF
stable boy to the present Marquis of Lin
| colnshire, then Earl Darlington and Cover
nor of New South Wales. Not long after
ward he secured work at his trade. His
ability, coupled with sound judgment and
discretion was recognized by his fellow work
men and he became a leader He was chair
man of the chapel in the printing office
where he worked and devoted himself to set
Ting disputes between the men and their
employers and was proud Of his ability to
keep things running smoothly. In the course
of time he was elected to Parliament on the
Labor ticket and demonstrated his ability as
a lawmaker. When the Labor party won in
1904 he became Premier at the early age of
81 years. He is now managing director of
The World. Of Sydney, new daily news
paper established by the Labor party One
does not have to talk with him long to dis
cover that he has risen by sheer force Of his
native ability.
Compulsory Employers Liability
He is naturally interested in the protection
of the interests of labor, and has been largely
influential in the passage of the advanced
legislation Of the Commonwealth
I'VE have had employers liability laws for
some time" he said to a representative Of
the EVENING LEDGER, land every employer
of labor is compelled to pay definite fixed
sums to his men when they are injured. The
compensation begins with IS a week and it
Is increased with increased wages. But 1t
never rises beyond the maximum of half
what the man was earning. If a man is
killed at his work his dependents receive
$4,000 The employers have adjusted their
business to the system and are in the habit ,
of adding certain percentage every year to |
the ordinary fixed charges to cover either
the cost of insurance against loss or to
create fund out OF which to nav the
damages to the men injured. When we nut
up our building in Sydney at a cost of $4OO,-
600 we insured every man working on it TO
protect the men and ourselves. The system
is working satisfactorily.
AS to the hours OF labor they are NOT
definitely fixed by statute. We have an ar
btration board, which uses its discretion in
deciding how many hours those EMPLOYED in
each trade shall work. The board adjusts the
hours to the varying conditions Of employ
ment Coal miners, for example, may not
remain Underground more than eight hours.
ana time enough must be allowed them 10
get from the drift where they are employed
to the mouth OF the mine above ground
within the fixed time Lorry drivers. on the
other hand work ten hours h,,t e.. -
be driving their wagons for only eight hours
the other two hours being devoted to har-
Messing their horses in the morning and
caring for them at night"
There has been some demand for compuI-
sorry arbitration Of labor disputes In the
United States How does the Australian
system work. Do the men abide
by the awards?"
Forced Military Service
Yes, they do as a rule. OF course. the Isv,
says mat they must accept the award, and
lines are provided for those who disobev the
orders OF the commissions. We ana tbst ~.
men who are employed the year round ar
regular work prefer to accept a decision tbst
nay seem unfair to stopping work wbis n
8 fought out But the men with IRREGULAR
4mployment, such as coal miners ana docl
aoorers' DO not hesitate to reject the award
lhey are accustomed to periods OF idleness
iho they would as soon be Idle while tbe,,
IRE hshting for better pay as to be idle while
hey are waiting for work A week ar t.,o
y ioanng more or less does not matter WITH
hem" win
What is the attitude Of labor to eomp,,.
ory military serviee2"
You know we have not had compulsory
ssFies very long IN Australia. not more thaa ,