Denver labor bulletin., 1917-01-20
Labor Proposes Amendments to
Workmen's Compensation LaW
Want Benefits to Begin Date of injury With Minimum
at So and Maximum of SIS Per Week. Other
Labor Measures Being Considered

Report of the Joint Legislative Com
mittee, State Federation of Labor, Rail
road Brotherhoods and Farmers Unions,
held on Thursday, January IL, at the Of
flee of the State Federation OF Labor,
Denver, Colorado.
In the absence of President McLennan
of the Colorado State Federation of La
bor the meeting was called to order by
Secretary Treasurer Ed. Anderson, and
upon motion, Delegate Charles E Ma
honey of the International Union OF
Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers was
selected as chairman to preside over the
meeting for the evening.
Those present were as follows: Ed.
Anderson, secretary treasurer of the Col
orado State Federation Of Labor, Vice
President Mabel Spencer of the Colorado
State Federation of labor, H G. VIII
liams and w. +. Hynes of the Brother
hood OF Railway Trainmen, G. w. Dens-
more and II. d. Reed of the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers, A B. Dillon,
A. Donally and NJ. o. Jodre of tn!
Order of Railway Conductors, Charles Z.
Mahoney of the international Union OF
Mine. Mil and Smelter Workers, Repre-
sentative Hamilton OF the A +. of l.,
w. r. Collicott OF the Farmers Union,
w. C. Thornton, w. r. Welsh, p. ].
Devault, j. c. Bulger, c. c. Houston OF
the Denver Trades Assembly, Margaret
Noonan, Rose Carey of the Garment
Workers Union, J. T. Clapp, J. S. Gobel,
IL 5. Baxter of the Denver Building
Trades Council, Delegates Forrest, Dorr,
Caffrey of the Painters Union No. 10,
and +. Il. Hoage of the Denver Union
Label League.
The minutes Of the last meeting were
read and approved with the exception
Of the word investigation being sub
stituted for the word arbitration in
regard to a question asked by Thornton
OF Hamilton If the representatives OF the
railroad brotherhoods were working with
the A OF l. representatives in regard
to compulsory Investigation
Reports Of Committees.
Representative Williams of sub-com-
mittec, appointed to secure the introduc-
| tiou OF the repeal OF the industrial COM
mission law, reported that they had
some difficulty IN securing the intro
] duction OF the repeal bill in the senate
| and house by members thereof whom we
! had first approached, and that the re-
| peal bill and its companion bill, amend
ment to the compensation law, would be
| introduced in the senate by Senator De
| busk. and that the committee expected
| to secure the introduction of the repeal
bill in the house this week. The CON-
mittec had made arrangements for a
| meeting of representatives of all organ
/ izations to meet with Governor Gunter
Friday at 2.30 p. m for the purpose of
/ having a conference with him in rsgnid
TO the repeal bill and amendment 70 The
compensation law and learn of his atti-
tude toward these particular measures.
| The result of this conference viii be
/ 4 rnl la uf
next meeting of the Legislative Commit
tee. Representative Williams further
reported that as soon as the two bills
| are introduced in the house and senate
/ n hearing will be given organized labor
| as soon a. possible by the joint commit
| tees of the house and senate for the pur
| pose of hearing arguments on this ques-
| tion and 1t is the desire of this commit
tee to have organized labor fully repre-
scntcd in order that we may properly
/ present our side of this case. The com
| mittee expects TO be represented at this
| hearing by Attorneys Costigan. Cohen,
Hynes. Hawkins and perhaps several
others, in order TO present the legal side
OF the question. Proper notice will be
| given to all members of organized labor
| Of the date of this Joint hearing.
Representative Hamilton reported that
| he and Representative Dcnsmore of the
| Il. OF L. J.. had had a meeting with Gov
| crnor Gunter in the early part of the
week in reference to the present indus
| trial commission law. Governor Carlson
denied responsibility for the anti-strikc
| laws in the industrial commits SION law,
but admitted that he heartily approved
OF this law, and would, if possible give
the commission moro power along thi.
| Inc
Amend Compensation Law.
| Representative uyries reported for the
sub committee, consisting of himself and
| Representative Houston, appointed for
the purpose of drafting amendments to
the workingmen's compensation law as
| follows: We recommend that section 81
be stricken out; that paragraph A, sec
| tion 50. which provides for the three
| weeks waiting period, be stricken out.
| A Recommendation OF the committee Will
provide for the compensation to start
| twenty-four hours after an injury.
| Amendment to paragraph b, section So,
| minimum compensation to be raised from
| S5 to So. maximum raised from IS to
| Sl5. We recommend section 81 be
| stricken out and in section 62 time for
reporting be extended from sixty days
to ninety days. Representative Hyncs
called attention to the fact that the
present law is very contradictory: that
| to make IL n perfect law it would be
| necessary to draft an entire law, and
that there were several other amend
mcnts which should be introduced but IL
was question of policy whether or not
| to introduce them at this time on ac.
| count of the complex situation of the
house and senate, as these amendments
| might draw down opposition not only to
amendments to the compensation law,