The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-12

bill 1t will not resemble in any respect the one that required four years to draw up and the one that stayed in several committees of the two houses before it was placed upon the senate calendar as being preferred.
 LEITH STICKS BY BILL
 The bill travelled along easy road for about an hour after it was called up ar 12 o'clock. The author, Mir. Leith of Walker county, did not object to the ad- dition of amendments. In fact, he of- fered and had one amendment adopted. Then the lunch hour was over, and, re- alizing that several amendments would be offered there was a recess to give the senators an opportunity to settle their differences off the senate floor. But those differences were not settled, and the battle began again when Senator AcSer known as the power in the sen ate behind the governor, arose and clear ly said he had amendment to offer
 At o'clock the battle was still on, and when the last of Mr. Acker's amend ments had been adopted the senate ad journed until 10 o'clock Wednesday. Mir. Acker had won all he desired. MT, Leith stood by his original bill after several amendme nts which met with his approval had been adopted. He spoke eloquently of the merits of the compensation piii' but the administration was too strong.
 Mir Acker's amendments cut out the figures sl7.5l as maximum eonlpensa~ tion and instead of the figures '6J per centum the figures '5o per centum are substituted. These amendments Will decrease the compensation to be paid those persons who are injured, and who would profit from the act.
 Fireworks In a mild form were started at the beginning of the hearing when Phillips of Lee made motion that the bill be not taken up until the twenty first leeislat.ve day, which, because or the agreement to recess TOT seVerai months will not be until about July z' Phillips said he did not desire to be placed in the light of being an obJector to the till.
 Answering the opponent, MT. Leltn, the author of the measure said he had expected just such position would come. He said nothing was said about the unfair sections of the bill until about two weeks ago, and this followed many months after the employees had ap- proved the measure. Employers or la bor. he said did not make one sug- gestion to the commission haVlhs the bill in charge before the legislature met Before the legislature met there was no opposition, he said. He went into details of the fight four years ago to pass such a bill, and pleaded that the measure be not postponed Dur ing the course of his argument against postponement Leith said Governor kil- by wanted the bill enacted. Later however Mr Acker said the governor did not approve the hlsh rate oi coih pensation.
 After several minutes of speech making the motion to postpone the hearing was lost by an almost unani- nous vote
 AMENDMENTS OFFERED
 Amendment No, l, suggested by the author and which passed the senate provides for appeals by either worhineh or employers.
 Other amendments follow:
 No. g. by Rogers of Sumter: Amend section l9, striking out certain words under the title. Notice to Employer or Accident"
 No. 3. by Leith Amend section 13 un- der the title. schedule of Compensation.
 No. 1: Amend section l'
 No. 5: Amend section by adding at the end of the paragraph the words or to any one who employs less than nine men,"
 No 6: Amend section 3l-A, which re- lates to the right to insure employees.
 No. I. by Acker Strike out '60 per centum'' and add "50 per centum' wher' ever it appears in the bill.
 No. s. by Acker: To substitute Sl2.o0 as a maximum where si7O appears Tn tho act.
 LOOK TO GENERAL WELFARE
 Speaking for amendment NO. [, MI Acker said the senate must look to the general welfare of the entire state, ana must look to other states for guidance before passing a compensation act. he said the maximum figures shown Tn the bill were unfair to the employers ana that they were gained by taking tn" high and low of other states and oi- viding them by two. He asked thac Alabama get on the same basis with Louisiana which pays 90 per eentufh as maximum compensation.
 ",rhis amendment of the senator from Calhoun will take money from thousands of workmen in Mobile who already, py agreement with the employers. are worh- ing under the 5 per centum rate or compensation" said MT. Leith, in viS- orous argument against the amendment. He said Mobile shipbulders have been . working under an agreement that calls for higher compensation than that spe- cified in the amendment, and that its adoption would require the Mobile con 1 cern to decrease the compensation D per centum.
 Eighteen voted for the Acker amend ment and F against it.
 | Arguing against amendment No. S, MT. Leith said: My skirts are clear; l tried 10 carry this through as a fair com { pensation biN." He then warned the ! senators they might begin to reckon with tae workingmen Of Alabama. The last :; n,a-,drent was adopted by a vote of i, 17 to i3.
 ! Ihe bill will again come up in the sen a,e on Wednesday. It is believed 1t will reuuire at least three hours to get II finally enacted. but there is little oppo- sition to develop on the Hast round