El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-10-28
COMPENSATION LAW To-
LESSEN INDUSTRIAL FRICTION

ONE Of the features of the proposed Arizona
~ ton law which best commends the constitutional
amendment the is that it will to remove
cause of friction between employers and employees To the
extent that that possible friendly relations between en-
Poyers and employees VIII be promoted As to the larger
industrial enterprises of the state that is contamination
devoutly to be wished
Arizona has compensation law, quite defective one
The proposed law which would be substituted for the
in existence is not without flaws as recently pointed
out, but they are relatively minor
Under the present law the moment workman is in
uTed controversy apt to arise between representa-
tves heirs and his employer The controversy to
the nature and extent of the injury fatal and
the amount if any, to be paid by the employer The
Poyer thinks he must protect himself against being gouged
an event Of which he is aPpehenve The representa-
uFes OF the injured think the employer is heartessly
davoring either to avoid liability altogether minimize
1t to the utmost degree It is natural There in
terests involved, Numerically opposed.
By the provisions of the proposed new law better
known in Arizona amendment 1907 neither the in
jured workman heirs representatives will after
injury contact with the employer to arrange for
compensation Nor viii he OF any Of them receive comPen
sation from the employer Whatever paid will be paid
by the state industrial accident board to be created from
the state accident fund.
The industrial accident board will consist of three
members. They viii be appointed by the governor with
advice of the state senate The of
office will be overlapping Thatsof member
pire ard his VIII be appointed every two years
provision continually the presence the board
Of experienced in the conduct of its affairs and
with the history pending and past. 1t
pensaon for death injury and to award such as
may found suitable. The proposed law does n leave
this to chance but sets up definite scale of comPensa
tion making the award matter of arithmetic after
the facts in relation to the casualty have been determined
Thus haggng the amount Of compensation to be paid
IS to be eliminated
The fund which the industrial accident board would ad
minister would created by this law ont Of premiums to
be paid by the individuals firms and corporations elecng
under the law. The premiums exaeted would
be based Of the average payroll Of the employer.
The effect of the law would be TO institute state insur
snce furnished cost, far the employer IS con-
cerned, and cost whatever to the employe. That
should certainly be viewed BY the wongmen Of the state
beneficial circumstance.
Citizens of the state who do not fall into the categOres
of employer employee should welcome such
tending reduce minimum litigation arising out Of
personal INJURIES reducing also the Of taxpayers
money dissipated in court costs.
About the only person who ought to be expected to OBJ
Jet long stTenuously to such law this Is the
sona injury lawyer who is threatened with the loss Of
1ich harvest OF contingent fees
For a time there somewhat determined opposition
to the by faction of organized labor but It
to have dwnded considerably of late The apprehension
that "he corporations" trying to put something over
frequently expressed since closer examination