The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1916-02-11
An Attempt to Correct a Con-
ditIOn That Meant Waste.
DECREASE OF LITIGATION.
Time and Money Formerly Spent In
Law Courts by an EmpIoye Brought
Him No Relief - Employers Also
Profit by the New System-Safety
First Pays Both Parties.
BY HARRY A MAcKEY,

Chairman Pennsylvania worlmen's COM
pensation board.
The principle of uniform compensa-
tion for injuries received in industrial
occupations without regard to fault or
negligence mas taken the strongest hold
upon our people and has made the most
remarkable record in laWmaking bod
les of any social legislation that has
been projected into our social fabric
for generation. 4 glance at the stat
ute books Of the various states of the
Union for the year 1915 viii be most
Illuminating and convincing. During
the last year Colorado Indiana, Maine,
Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,
Vermont and Wyoming Alas
ka and Hawaii-adopted compensa-
tion laws. In fourteen states-namely,
California, Connecticut, Illinois, Mas
sachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Ne
yada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon,
Rhode Island, Washington, West Vir-
ginia and Wisconsin-the principle was
vindicated and its thorough establish
ment emphasized by the adoption of
amendments to the already existing
laws in order to strengthen and re-en-
force them and to correct weaknesses
pointed out by judicial decisions.
What does This all mean? Why such
progress in its adoption? What is the
thought behind it all? 1t is an attempt
to correct a condition that simply
meant waste, no matter from what
viewpoint you addressed yourself TO its
consideration. An industrial accident
to an employee for which there could
have been no compensation under the
old law was waste
Time and money spent by an en-
ployee in an attempt to recover dam
ages was waste,
An occasional verdict enormously re
duced by fees ana expenses with the
too often prodigal and reckless eXpend-
iture of the same due to its sudden ac-
QUESTION in bulk by the employee was
waste
Litigation causing friction and irrita-
tion between employer and employee,
loss of time in court and the suspen-
sion of business activity during attend
ance at trials was waste.
Money paid by employers to insur-
ance companies, not to compensate for
injuries. but to guarantee the result Of
lawsuits. was waste The whole situa-
ton then was the absolute antithesis
of economy and efficiency Employers
awoke to the fact that the health, hap
piness and contentment Of the wage
earners were the greatest assets of any
industrial plant, 50 that now Safety
First has become the most prominent
and encouraging sign in any establish
ment where men labor and produce
The great thinkers then began to
evolve a solution They looked upon all
this waste. They saw its demoraliz-
ing effect upon society They realized
that often just claims were not prose
cuted by the employee because Of the
fear of the power Of the employer.
They finally behed the real tragedy Of
it all-where loss without compensa.
ton, with its enforced idleness, kept
the children from school, lowered the
standard of living and filed the poor
houses of our districts, with its conse-
quent drain upon the public purse.
From the employers side came Vi
sions OF the danger growing out Of liti-
CATION, with its antagonisms and dis
rupting influences. while they saw that
the public was vastly interested in pro
noting harmony and cooperation be
tween employer and employee, as a
great economic proposition They also
learned that our courts were over
crowded with this form of litigation.
and charities and poor districts were
oyertaxed because of enforced pauper-
ism incident TO uncompensated inju-
ries. The solution then became inev-
table.
First.-This loss had to be charged
to production and eventually borne by
those who consume, use or enjoy the
finished product, and in order that
this cost might be equally and properly
distributed among the consumers Ii
must first fall upon the employer.
Every great enterprise, then in it's re
latiOn to cost is computed in terms of
money and human sacrifices. including
loss of life, members and time due to
accident and permanent disability.
Second.-A system had necessarily to
be evolved that reduces litigation to a
minimum
Third. Certainty must be estab-
lished-that is. the employer must be
able to know just where he stands
and the employee must go about his
work contented in the thought that II
misfortune should overtake him wise
provision has been made for his medi-
cation and the maintenance OF his de-
pendents.
Fourth.-The success of any compen-
sation law must depend upon its uni
formity and fixed standards
From these necessities and upon
these cardinal principles came the
Pennsylvania act. which has been pro-
nounced the best considered and most
reasonable law of any on this subject
In the United States.