Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-21
GOVERNOR URGES LAWS
FOR CLEAN RECREATION
Improving Working Conditions
Not Enough, Brumbaugh Tells
Welfare Conference
MOVEMENT UNDER WAY
Sentiment for Wholesome Pleasure
Will Crystalline Into Legislation,
He Declares

HARRISBURG, Pa, Nov. 2i,--"Pennsyl-
vanla. which has done great things for the
welfare Of its people during their working
hours, must very soon turn It's attention to
their welfare during hours OF leisure," de-
clRred Governor Martin q. Brumbaugh to-
day, In delivering the opening address Of
the fourth annual Welfare and Efficiency
Conference at the Capitol under the
auspices OF tho Department Of Labor and
Industry and the Engineers' Society Of
Pennsylvania. The largest audience ever
in attendance at any Of the conferences
was present when Commissioners or Labor
and Industry John Price Jackson introduced
the Governor
Tho Governor intlmated that he had In
mind welfare LEGISLATION OF the kind out
lined. He called attention TO the remark
able accomplishments Of the State In the
way Of labor and compensation laws In re-
cent years and paid n high compliment to
tho manufacturers and Industrial leaders
of Ponnsylvana for the spirit In which
they had accepted the regulatlve legisla-
tion adopted recently.
MOVEMENT UNDER WAY
ut ls the business of the Commonwealth
to make such laws as Will enable It's peo-
pie when not at work to lead clean, right
cous lives. Most OF the crimes against so
ciety have been committed in hours of leIs-
ure, tho records show" continued the Gov
crnor. This has become so generally rec
ognizcd that there is already well under
way n movement to conserve the welfare
of the people at leisure in recreation places,
TO provide better means OF entertainment,
social centers and better houses in which
to live. and TO remove some of the dangers
that now surround them when they are
not at work. Public sentiment Is tending
rapidly In those directions and the laws
will follow"
Following the address OF the Governor,
A No, ,ia t..,,,n ~ tIa
sylvania Workmens Compensation Board,
delivered tho principal address of the
morning sitting OF the fourth annual In
dustral Welfare and Efficiency Confer
ence at the Capitol on the subject Ten
Months Experience Under the Pennsyl-
Vania Compensation Law"
after carefully considering all that has
been done since this law went into opera
tion." said Mr.. Mackey, I'VE can claim
that ten months experience under this law
has thoroughly justified It's existence. We
maintain that its accomplishments have
spelled success for the scheme of Compen-
sation We confidently assert that the
whole propaganda OF humanitarian legisla.
tion has been nightly advanced because of
tho fact that Pennsylvanla's brain and
conscience have been added to the forces
behind this great movement"
''The employers OF Pennsylvania have ac.
cepted tho act by quietly coming under it's
terms" Mr. Mackey said, "for the act pro-
vides that the employer in failing to give
his employees notice OF his rejection of the
act shall be construed to have accepted
the same"
CORPORATIONS SATISFIED
Showing how we'll satisfied some of the
great corporations OF the State are with
the compensation law. Mr.. Mackey read n
letter from the claim agent of one of the
big railroads, saying that his company Is
pleased with the way the law Is working
out and 'it Is much cheaper and more
economical than claims were under the
common law liability which existed before
the adoption OF this law" The company,
this agent said, had found that the opera
tIon of the law afforded comparatively
cheap means OF compensation damage
claims and n more liberal and certain
means of compensation for the employe
through the elimination of court costs and
delay.
Mr.. Mackey gave the total number of
compensation cases since the law went into
effect January 1, 1916, as $500, of which
2ll3 were fatal cases. OF the total Al 900
have been satisfactorily adjusted. OF the
2ll3 fatal cases, S92 compensation agree
ments have been approved by the board,
the amount I'm these cases being S2,263-
0O324 awarded to dependents, $95,133.SS Of
which has already been paid. The amount
required TO pay the disability claims to date
is 1896, 6,569.S9.