Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-13
UNCLE SAM N|GGARDlY
TO EMPLOYEES, He SAYS
]. B. Andrews Calls Attention to
Pending Bill for Increased
Salaries.
Shows How Little Those Dependent
on Brooklyn Navy Yard Vic
tins Will Get.

That Uncle Sam is too niggardly to
employees injured on federal work Is
urged in an article by John B. Andrews,
secretary of the American Association
for Labor Legislation. just sent out
by the Survey Press Service. He also
calls attention to a bill drafted bv the
association he represents. now pending
before Congress providing for just
compensation for all workmen injured
OF killed in the service of the United
States This bill. he says. is a victim
of congressional inertia.
Mr.. Andrews says:
THE explosion on the United states
submarine e. at her berth in the
Brooklyn navy yard January Is killed
four men and severely injured ten.
Three of the killed and six OF the serl-
ously injured were civilian workmen
employed by the United States govern
ment as plumbers and as yard Wofh-
men.
One Widow Gets Only $500.
1.-TWO plumbers left dependent widows.
who, under the terms of the present
antiquated compensation law OF the
United States. will be granted as IN
demnity their husbands wages for one
year only. AS these men were earning,
respectively, 81 and 81 day, it is prob
able that one widow will receive from
the federal government no more than
$1,000 and the other as little as $ooV
for the loss of a husband. Both face
the prospect of early dependence upon
the charity of the community.
I'm none of the thirty-three American
states and territories possessing COM
pnsation laws would indemnity have
been so niggardly. Had the men been
working for private employer in the
state of New York the widows would
have been entitled. respectively, to 1850
and $3.50 year during their entire life
or widowhood. In Massachusetts they
would have been eligible to receive
$4,000 each; in Ohio. $3.50 and s2,496.
respectively, and in California, $500
and $1,000.
THE federal government. moreover.
pays no burial expenses. New York
and California pay 800; Ohio. $50. and
Massachusetts,. if there are no de-
pendents, 5000.
No Allowance for Injured.
For the injured, also, there is no al
lowance for medical treatment, and the
burned victims of the federal govern
ments accident are being cared for in
Cumberland Street Hospital at the ex-
pense of the citizens of New York city.
Massachusetts, allows medical and sur
gical care for two weeks, California
up to ninety days and Ohio up to $500.
ut has been agreed for years among
informed people. including administra-
tive officials at Washington, that the
federal compensation law of 1908 is
the most Inadequate in the world and a
disgrace to the nation. Meager as are
it's benefits. only one-quarter of the
governments 100000 civilian employees
are covered. The act has been con-
demned by the United States bureau of
labor statistics, which has charge of
it's administration; by the American
organizations of civil service employees.
For three years a bill, drafted by
the American Association for Labor
Legislation. and based on the best ex-
eign countries. has been before Con-
gress. 1t has been Endorsed by numer-
Gus organizations. Leading journals
have editorially called for its enact
ment. Thousands of citizens have
written to their representatives at
Washington urging that it be passed
1t was reported favorably by the judi
ciary committee of the House of Rep
resentatives as early as April 81, 1914
1t has met with no open opposition.
1t is merely a victim of congressional
inertia.
Kern-McGillicuddy Bill.
This bill-the Kern -McGillicuddy
compensation bill for injured employees
of the federal government III. r. 476)-
is still before the judiciary committee
of the House. Representative Edwin
Y. Webb of North Carolina is chairman
of the committee and the committees
me mbership is practically the same as
when it reported the bill out nearly
two years ago. Its passage would pro-
vide just compensation for all work
men injured or killed in the service of
the United States.
Furthermore, the present accident
recalls the inadequacy of safeguards
provided by the federal government for
the prevention of accidents and occupa-
tional diseases among its civilian en-
ployes. Deplorable conditions regard
ing safety and sanitation have been
pointed out many times in the past.
Judging from the experience in private
industry, no more effective method of
stimulating health and safety work in
government workplaces could be found
than the passage of a just and ade-
quate compensation law by which the
money-cost of a work-accident Is shift
ed from the stricken family to the
broad shoulders of the employer-in
this case, Uncle Sam himself"