The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-09-06

Industry. But several of the re-
ports state that the primary cause
for economic fatigue among work
men is due principally to the high
cost of livinb and the profiteering
in food Practically every author
ity consulted on this subject con-
cured in this belief, and almost I'M
animously agreed that this was the
chief cause of unrest among the
workmen."
Industrial Insurance
Mr.. Flyzik dwelt at some length
upon industrial insurance and par
ticularly upon the first aid amend
ment to the Industrial Insurance
law. He said the Washington law
is by no means perfect but that it
would operate better if both en-
ployers and employees would acquaint
themselves with its provisions and
aid in its enforcement.
"Our legislatures" he said, "fail
to breathe a sufficient humanitarian
spirit into these laws; they seem to
look upon it simply as an agency
through which a premium is set on
gross negligence. Our Industrial
Acts are weighted down with long
waiting periods, which increase the
hardships of the injured workman
by making him suffer great finan-
cial loss and, in many instances,
charge him with first aid treatment
during his disability. The State
also insists that the injured work
man shall contribute something out
of his earnings towards the main
tenance of his medical treatment
which is in direct ocntravention of
it's purposes and ideals; they refuse
to indemnify the workman for time
lost through occupational diseases,
yet at the same time require him to
submit to physical examination
when he is seeking employment.
"The courts have also ruled that
no allowance be made for disfigure-
ment, either of face or body, even
though there was loss of time, so
long as such Disagreement does not
affect or interfere with the future
earning capacity of the workman.
"The industrialists of our coun-
try closed their eyes to the economic
wrongs that existed at their mines,
mills and factories; they hardened
their hearts and refused to yield to
the plea of the workmen for a
shorter work-day, better safeguards,
and more sanitary conditions of en-
ployment, all of which would tend
to minimize accidents, because they
were able to scrap the inefficient
ard incapacitated as long as the
gates of Castle Garden were wide
open, through which millions of new,
healthy and able-bodied men were
passing annually to take our places.
However, this condition has ma
terially changed, and unless our
Government has foresight enough,
and the employers are imbued with
a greater spirit of fairness in the
future, we may find ourselves de-
scending into the pits of retrogres-
sion.
eve therefore urge the people of
this state to go on record in the
strongest terms-in order that suf-
ficient sentiment may be crystalized
to have these undesirable features
wiped out of our Industrial Com
pensation Law; such as the joint
contribution towards first aid. the
waiting period, and above all the
complete abolition of the contract
system for medical and hospital
treatment.
Gan attempt should also be made
to raise the monthly premiums to
the widows and orphans coming
within the scope of the compensa-
ton law, inasmuch as the purchas-
ing power of the American dollar
has deprecated over rs per cent
during the last four years."
Aims of Organized Labor
"While we are exceedingly proud
of our achievements, we should not,
however, be unmindful of the fact
that we are as yet far from economic
contentment and that the journey
towards our objective goal has
great distance to run.
an order to secure greater fun
damental reforms, we must continue
to organize our workmen into poll
teal and economic groups, by them
selves, where we can inculcate the
purposes and high ideals for which
cur Movement stands.
at is asserted by many learned
men that reasonable hours of toll,
fair working conditions, and an ade-