The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-10
Injured Workn,en Would Still
Be Compelled to Fight in
Courts to Get Relief
SCHEME TO ABOLISH
TWO OFFICES MAKES
INITIAL MISSTEP
Assigned to Other Committees
Alter Hurried Endorsement
Drawn by Chairman OF t FL
clency Commission

The workmeus compensation OIL
WAS reported out ny the house COM
mlttee on courts Of Justice yesterday
after an unsuccessful fight in the cont
1nittee to amend By a provision that
the Industrial commission, under
which the law will be administered.
be elected by the people instead of
appointed by the governor.
The bill as reported is substantially
as recommended by the governor
commission on compensation. with
the exception that railroad employees
arr Exempted from the operations of
the Law.
J., was argued before the commit
toe that the hill falls far short of
what an adequate mpensation law
should be: that Il leaves the deteryni-
nation OF damages with the employer;
that the workman must employ coun-
sci and fight for his rights under this
bill, exactly as he is obliged to now.
a point was made OF the fact that
the bill seems to have the patronage
OF the large employing interests of
the state and for that reason should
be closely scruttnized.
The opponents of the bill in its
present form will make a light on the
floor OF the house to have substituted
for the committee ball a measure ex-
tending 10 all classes of employees ex-
eept farmers and domestic servants.
the special statute covering railroad
employees. which latter is preferred by
the railroad brotherhoods to the pro-
visions OF the present law II was In
Difference To- the railroad mems or
E7pized protest against the bill that
they were excluded from the opera
lions of the bin.
DISTINCTION Is opposed.
n is now claimed by representa-
tives of organized labor that If this
special statute Is good enough for
railroad men 1t ought to he extended
TO all classes and IL there is good
reason why railroad employees should
not he included within the scope of
the bill. the same reasons would apply
for employees as "a whole.
Legislative agents OF the railroad
brotherhoods and representatives. OF
organized labor in Richmond have
been watching the progress of this
measure. and were at the Capitol yea
terday to urge the amendment pro-
vidinF for the election by popular
ballot OF the commissioners provided
for by the bill.
II was claimed before the commit
tee that in the event of election of a
governor favoring capital. or the en-
ploying class. the commission would
naturally reflect that point of view
II the state is to have a just and
equitable workmen's compensation
law, Il should model it's law on the
lines of the Wisconsin Law, claimed
TO be the most liberal and fair to eni-
ployes of any compensation law in
fhFpA or ha,
state law, the next best In the matter
of protection to the workers, say
labor representatives.
Consolidation scheme Slips,
The bills to abolish the offices OF
Insurance Commissioner Button and
Register OF Lands Richardson. report,
ed from the COMMITTEES on retrench-
nent ana economy. was referred to
the COMMITTEES on banking and fnsur-
ance. ana the committee on Capitol
officers. respectively.
1t is proposed to consolidate the
mfce of register of lands with the
department of the secretary OF the
commonwealth, and the bureau OF in
surance with the banking division of
the corporation commission The new
commissioners is to be appointed by
the corporation commission, at a sal
airy OF $500. The measures would
take effect October /, 1918.
The proposal to abolish these two
offlces came up before meeting OF
the retrenchment committee Friday
morning. at which Hon Richard Eve
lyn Byrd. chairman OF the commits
slon on economy and efficiency. ap-
peared ana discussed proposed econo-
mics. At this meeting IL was agreed
that MFR. Byrd should draft the two
bills, and they were adopted with a