Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-06
WOrkmen's Compensation

IF PROOF needed Of the rapid growth OF the
idea OF compensation OF wor1men for injuries re-
- ceived In the Of employment substitute
for the old liability acts IL would be found in Bue-
TIN No 1856 by tho Bureau Of Labor Statistics OF the
United States Department OF Labor. II presents the
legislation for the years 1914 and 1915. with amend
Inents 20 a number OF earlier laws. which In
extensive necessltste the reprtntng
OF the entire law This is in effect supplement 20
Bulletin No. i2s, Issued two years a complete
compilation to that date Of existing esisiston in
this field.
The legislation Of the year 1914 included three
Kentucky. louisiana and Maryland. One of these
laws that Of Kentucky declared unconstitutional
before It into operation. That Of Maryland
perseded earlier statute reported unavoidable.
The laws OF 1915 eight states: Colorado,
Indiana, Maine Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania,
Vermont and Wyoming, besides the territories ~
Alaska and Hawaii The legislation OF 1914 included
also a presidential order providing a compensation
system for employees Of the Panama canal and the
Panama railroad, while that OF the current year in
olUdes similar order extending the federal compen-
sation act OF 1908 10 workmen engaged about this
government railway In Alaska With the legislation
Of these two years thirty-one and the terri
tories Of Alaska and Hawaii have compensation
laws. federal statute about one-fourth Of
the civilian employees Of the United All Of this
legislation has been enacted since 1908 and practically
all OF the existing legislation in the states since 1910
OF the new laws Of 1914 and 1916 one that Of wy
oming. must be classed compulsory insurance
law while those Of Maryland and Oklahoma are COM
pulsory compensation laws In the other states eight
In number, the law permits the employer TO elect
reject the compensation act. In he rejects IT,
however he Is deprived of the customary defenses
under the liability laws.
Some OF the newer laws have certain features which
are OF special interest and worthy OF mention. The
Oklahoma statute. for example applies only to
OF non-fatal accidents while in Wyoming all awards.
whether for death disability are In the form OF
lump sum payments arbitrarily fixed by the statute
without regard 70 the earning capacity the injured
person. The Alaska statute also provides for lump
sum payments except for temporary disability Leg
islation elsewhere has very generally provided for
periodical payments graduated according wage loss
and this method is favored by practically all au-
thorities
Tho Wyoming act is the least liberal the conpen-
saton for death being limited expenses
$50 and a maximum death benefit of $1,000 In com
parson with this. the Colorado statute provides
a maximum Of $500. while the maximum OF tho
Alaska statute Is $4,000 cases OF temporary dis
ability the Colorado law is lliberal than any
other. as II provides for no compensation for dis
abilities not extending beyond three weeks. In the
statutes OF other states the waiting usually
been fixed at one two weeks, except Col
orRdo fixing a longer period.
In the legislation Of 1914 1915 special boards
commissions for administration continue TO be pre-
ferred. the laws OF Alaska and wyoming being the
only enacted during 1915 which have this
provision In Maine Maryland Oklahoma and YER
mont tho administrative authorities are given no
powers other than those relating the administra-
ton of the compensation acts. In Hawaii county
boards. with functions restricted compensation
act provided for Louisiana the law is admin
istered by the courts.
The prevention OF accidents. we'll as compenss-
ton. Is provided for In number OF new laws
Thus. the Industrial commission OF Colorado e
charged not only with the administration of the COM
pensation act but also with the duty factory and
mine inspection. the enforcement woman and child
labor laws and safety generally. Corresponding
provisions found also in the laws OF Indiana and
Montana.
The bulletin contains q comparative analysis OF ex-
listing workmen's compensation laws in the form OF a
large folding chart Notwithstanding the efforts
which have been made TO bring about uniformity In
compensation legislation comparison the laws OF
thiry-one states which have thus far enacted com.
pensation laws shows the widest diversity IN the
methods and amounts of compensation payments ana
the scope of the various laws. Amending legislation
is in general OF nberaEing character either incud-
ing disabilities as occupational diseases or In
creasng the disability allowance introducing othe,
details
Promise OF future progress in compensation legisla-
ton II found in the provision for a commission in
Utah for the purpose OF drafting compensation bill
and In the amendments to the constitutions of two
three states the purpose OF which to permit the
enactment Of inclusive and effective laws than IS
believed possible under the present laws OF the states