The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-01-13
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COMPENSATION
DEBATE IN HOUSE
Bill Designed 10 Include All
Federal Employees.
SAVES over PRESENT Law.

Proposed Measure Is to Take Place Of
Three Acts In Force, Which Cover
but one-third of Uncle Sans Work.
ers - Provides For Two thirds Of
Wages During Total Disability.
The Kern cGillicuddy workmen's
compensation bill, which recently pass
ed the house, is designed. to procure
uniformity for all federal employees in
place of three present laws, which
cover but one-third of the federal en-
ployees. It compensates at two-thirds
Of the wages during total disability or
the same percentage for loss in earning
capacity during partial disability, linn,
its compensation to q maximum Of
$66.67 a month, provides 35 per cent Of
wages for. the widow during depend
ency, with 10 per cent additional for
each child under eighteen years up to
two-thirds of the workman's wages. 1t
makes allowance for reasonable med
lCdlI SUI SICdl anu AOSp1Idl SCI VIC.
The bill would create q commission
Of three members to administer the
system and appropriate 100000 for
the new system. Advocates of the bill
claim that 1t would be more economical
than the system under present laws,
that the current annual cost of the par
tial system is 100000, that the maxi
mum cost under the proposed law at
the end of thirty years would be one
half of 1 per cent Of the government
payroll and that the bill is approved by
the federal department Of labor, the
American Federation of Labor and nu-
merous other organizations.
In the recent debate In the house of
representatives Uncle Joe Cannon Of
Illinois opposed the measure. He de-
clared that the McGillicuddy BILLS not
compensation measure, but straight
pension plan, and that any such pen
sion system for civil employees would
fall of its own weight, financially, I'M
less contributory system is adopted.
In support Of his contention he quot
ed a bulletin just issued by Henry
Pritchett, head Of the Carnegie founda-
ton, in which contributory pension sys-
TENS are advocated.
"When you get something for moth
Ing" said Representative Cannon, "the
tendency is toward pauperization."
Representative McGillicuddy, author
# r. the bin, replied. briefly: -.
"Under the present situation" he
said, sit is possible for man to go
into the service of the government and
within thirty days receive an injury
for which he is in no way responsible
and be crippled for life. The govern
ment is entirely responsible for the
Gripping Of this employee; he is inca
pacitated for the remainder of his
days, and yet he alone has to stand the
burden of it, And this bill seeks to
relieve that situation, and yet the gen
tleman from Illinois opposes the bill.
''The principle Of this bill has been
tested in thirty-twO states, and laws
on the same principle have been writ
ten on their statute books. There is
no sentiment for the repeal Of these
compensation laws in any of these
thirty-two states; indeed, l believe /
am within the truth in saying there
Is tendency to enlarge their scope"
Representative Mann Of Illinois
strongly supported the bill. He said;
IT would not want the widows and
orphans of a government employee
killed in the service to go out to the
world as objects of charity, Somebody
has to support those people, and l be-
lieve the government should do so. |
think the cost should be a charge
against the expenses of operating the
government. A few days ago the
house voted to pay $50 month to de-
pendent families of the boys who have
gone to the border, and l do not see
why we should not be just as liberal to
government employees as provided for
In this bill"
The bill passed the house by an al
most unanimous vote.
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