The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-01-19
Especial Correspondence.)

labor's bill providing "first aid"
amendment to the workingmen's COM
pensation law. Senator Phipps intro
duced the bill Friday of last week.
1t is expected that at least three other
bills on this subject will be intro
duced during the coming week, and
that within the next few days the
industrial insurance committees of
both the House and the Senate will
be actively at work upon this legis-
lation.
The members of the Senate commit
tee on Industrial insurance, to whom
these bills will be referred, are as
follows: Chairman, Frank A. Chace
of Spokane, E. j. Cleary of What
com, Oliver T. Cornwell of Walla
Walla, E. B. Palmer of King, John w.
Kleeb of Pacific, James A. Client of
King, Jesse S. Jones of Pierce and
Wilburn Fairchild of Pierce.
The members of the House COM
mittee are as follows: Chairman,
George Mccoy of Clarke county, Mark
E. Reed of Mason, Fred Mess of King,
Frank Monogue of King, DR.. w. P.
Goff of Pierce, Abe Morris of Pierce,
DR.. D. Kearby of Kittitas, C. H. Hoff
of Whatcom, John R. Wilson of King,
John Anderson of Spokane, E. F..
Banker of Okanogan, Fred Hart of
Pacific, Fred Yale of Whatcom and
W. P. Sawyer of Yakima.
Labor's First Aid Bill.
The provisions of the labor 'first
aid" bill are as follows:
(a) Upon the occurrence of any
injury to workman, he shall receive
proper medical first aid and thereafter
such medical, surgical and hospital
treatment, nurseing, medical and sur
gical supplies and apparatus as are
necessary required to accomplish the
recovery.
(b) The cost of transportation of
the injured workman from the place
of injury to the nearest place Of
proper treatment shall be borne ex-
clusively by his employer, and he shall
so convey such injured workman with
out unnecessary delay.
(c) The cost of the services pro-
vided for in section 6604-7a (section
of this act) shall be audited and
paid by the industrial insurance de-
partment out of the accident fund of
the class to which the employer of
such injured workman belongs.
Cd 1t shall be unlawful for the en-
ployer to deduct or obtain any money
from any workman or retain any part
of any workman's pay for the carry
ing out of the provisions Of this act,
and the making or attempting to make
any such deduction or collection shall
be a gross misdemeanor.
(e) Every injured workman en-
titled to first aid under the provisions
of this act shall have the right in the
first instance to choose his own physi-
elan or surgeon, the fees of such
physician or surgeon to be paid for
during the period the injured work
man is receiving first aid, out of the
accident fund of the class to which
the employer of such injured workman
belongs, as provided for in section
of this act; provided, however, that
if the industrial insurance commits
sion shall determine that the physi-
clan or surgeon selected by the work
man is not properly or adequately
handling the case, the commission may
REQUIRE the injured workman to con-
suit another physician or surgeon for
special advice, these services also to
be paid for out of the accident fund
or in case the commission determines
the physician selected by the work
man is wholly incompetent, the COM
mission may require the workman tc
~ dispense with the services of such
p physician entirely, if the workman de-
sires to take advantage of the pro
yisiofs of this act providing free first
aid. In the event the physician OF
surgeon selected by the workman is
dispensed with on account of incom-
petency, as hereinbefore stated, the
injured workman shall have the right
to select another physician of his
y choice, the services and tenure of this
physician to be governed by the same
procedure as hereinbefore set forth
provided, further, that neither the EN-
ployer nor the industrial insurance
commission shall be liable in any way
for any act in connection with the
treatment or care, or malpractice IL
4 treatment or care of any injuries sus
tanned by any employee, or such ac