The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-02-17
TRADES ASSEMBLY
i: RECEIVES ANSWER
Senator Campbell Explains 0p-
position to State Federation's
Insurance Measure.

Senator William A. Campbell, chair
man of the senate committee.on labor,
has sent letter to Secretary butcher
! of the Federated Trades Assembly of
Duluth in reply to letter from the
latter, explaining his (Campbelrs) at
titude on the question of state insur-
ance.
Following visit to Duluth by
George w. Lawson, secretary of the
| State Federation of Labor, a meeting
of the Federated Trades Assembly
was held, in which the action of GER
tain senator's who insisted that the
bill proposed by the State Federation
| Of Labor should be amended in some
important particulars, was criticised.
| Letters were sent by the assembly
to members of the legislature asking
their support for the Federation's bill
without amendment. This request is
what. drew the reply from Senator
Campbell, copy of which follows:
"St. Paul. Mimi, Feb. 6. 1917.
"W. J. butcher, Secretary Federated
! Trades Assembly, Duluth, Mime
| sofa.
Dear Sir: I have your letter of
recent date requesting me to support
the state insurance bill proposed by
the State Federation of Labor just as
it stands and without amendment.
| "As chairman of the senate labor
committee. of course. I have been in
terested in the question Of state in
surance. I am unqua lifiedly in favor
of substituting state insurance in the
place of the present workmen's COM
pensation law.
But T want to he sure that we have
the right kind of state insurance
bill to present to the senate, and at
the present time I am not SO sure the
bill as proposed by the State Fedora
ton of Labor will cover what we want.
The fact that the Hibbing convention
of the State Federation of Labor
passed upon the bill does not neces
sarily mean that it is not invulner-
! able. The fact that the Federation
proposed to pay $500 for legal serv-
ices in connection with the drafting
of this particular bill, does not neces-
sarily mean that it is free from at
tack.
Hearings will begin on the oues-
ton of state insurance in few days.
that time the obiections-and I
believe there are many-to the Fed
eration's bill can be brought out. Re-
| member, I am in favor of compulsory
state insurance. I do not desire to
antagonize the officials of the State
! Federation of Labor, neither do 7 de-
sire to take their word as, gospel when
: it comes to the matter of state insur-
ance covering industrial accidents.
have been student of these questions
! for long time. l merely want to be
! sure.
"There wasla preliminary meeting
of the house and senate committees
| on employers liability one day last
; week. The assistant attorney general
! was called in by Chairman Pauly to
advise with them on the Federation
bill. It was our original suggestion.
They have followed our suggestion
| and the attorney generals office at
the request OF the committee has
afted such an amendment.
"A1ight it not also be the case that
| we are correct in some of our other
/ contentious? Isn't it safer to be sure
| yon are rigi before going ahead.
TO repeat: T am just as much in
! favor of state insurance as any man
in Minnesota. But 7 decline to sacri-
| flee my right as legislator to object
| ana make tnOSe OD]ectOnS KNOWN. 10
what consider fatal defects in pro-
! posed measure. even when $500 is to
! '>e paid for legal services in drafting
the bill. Especially. in view of the
fact that all this might have been
done in the attorney generals office.
absolutely without it costing one cent
to the workmen affiliated with the
State Federation of Labor.
IT know whereof I speak. as they
Just completed the general absent
voter law for me. and it is one IF the
most difficult measures to draft lin
order that same will fit into the con-
stituton) that will come before this
session Of the legislature, and thew did
it willingly in behalf of the CONNER
cial travellers. railroadmen and rail-
! way clerks of this state 7 simply re-
quested and they complied.
IT believe you will agree that we
have right to ask you to suspend
| judgment OF what we may or may not
do in connection with the proposed
state insurance LEGISLATION. until you
are in a position to know all the facts
| in the case.
with best wishes, 7 am. sincerely
and fratcrnally.
civilian A. CAMPBELL.
| 'Chairman Senate Labor Committee. "
Mr.. Campbell is member of retail
! T1orl.c' Tyrion M EE0 Ninnoo