The Washington times., 1916-07-01
Legislation Has Begun and ls
Scheduled for Passage on
"CaIendar Wednesday,"
HAS SUPPORT OF LABOR
Organizations Of Federal Work.
ers Also Have Been Pushing
Measure for Months.

1hs, House has finaily begun consider.
alton OF the bill for compensation OF all
Government employees suffering injuries
and disabilities incurred while on duty.
Confederation OF the bill was begun yes
terday. and It 10 scheduled for passage
on Calendar Wednesday,"
Il was feared Tor a time that appro-
priation bill and national defense meas
ure would crowd out the compensation
measure, which has been advocated
by various organisations OF Government
employees, tho American Federation OF
Labor. the Association for Labor Legis-
lation, and the Department Of Labor.
rhe bill, known as the Kern M Mctiiliicud-
months nj sa sso By the % judiciary COMMITTEES.
The report filed with the House by
the Judiciary Committee says the exist
ing compensation laws are inadequate.
detective and apply to only about one.
third of tho employees Of the United
States Government. The proposed law
embraces all classes and includes all
injuries and deaths mot caused by the
willful misconduct Of the employc or
by the employe' g. intention to bring about
the injury or death Of himself or an
other"
Injuries suffered while an employe is
intoxicated also will fail to draw COM
pensation.
Would Bring Uniform Laws.
Enactment of the bill. 1t is claimed.
will bring uniformity in compensation
laws, relieve Congress Of the necessity
Of considering hundreds OF personal in
Jury claims. and tend to reduce scci;
compensation bill are declared to have
worked we'll in industrial states like
New York. Massachusetts. Ohio. and
Wisconsin. , j.
month and the minimum ss.ss, with an
additional allowance for medical. sur
There is also provision Of IS per cent
Of the wages, Of the killed nmploys
for the dependent widow Of such en-
poye sna S 10 per cent srovS.a SdStoGa mat
total Widows compensation does not
drSWn prior 70 the death Of tho EN-
Xiies Dawson, actuary. estimated that
the maximum cost Of the -McGil-
liccudy bill, at the end OF thirty years.
would be one-half Of 1 per cent OF the
Government pay roll.
Supports Fair Treatment.
In support Of fair treatment by tho
Government Of its employees. the report
presented In the House by Congressman
Gard, Of tho Judiciary Committee. says:
"As the existing law applies only to
to be especially hazardous, It covers
only about 100000 Of the Governments 8
10000 employees. The bill here reported
will cover all civil employees of the
Company, about 400 900 in all. 1t seemed
to the committee that II an employe is
injured In the performance OF his duty
he Is entitled to compensation regardless
of his occupation; This Is g the ia lay ". IN
ing compensation laws.
1.-THE present law, In denying compen-
cation to an Injured employe II his
occupation was not hazardous. goes
counter to the theory on which all COM
the industry shall bear the burden Of
injuries caused by 1t. In this connec-
tion 1t should be borne In mind that
the extension Of the existing law In this
particular will not increase the cost in
proportion, for although the number Of
as under the existing law, the number
OF accidents will not be proportionately
increased, since the accident risk in the
added employments Is considerably less
than in the branches Of service already
covered.
''The compensation granted by the
existing law Is full pay during the
disability for a maximum period of
one year. 1t is obvious that to grant
a man full pay while disabled will
tend TO induce him to malinger, and
u IL equally obvious that to stop the
compensation at the end of one year,
although the disability Is still con-
tinuing, is highly unjust. The schedule
Of compensation here proposed Is In
line with the best precedents found in
State compensation acts
1.-THE principle. of providing compen-
cation during the continuance Of the
disability seemed to the committee to
be the only fair method. Limiting the
throwing the injured man upon charity
at the expiration OF a year. 1t is be-
lieved that the adoption OF this bill
will not result In largely increased cost,
but merely a more equitable adjustment
Of compensation to need"