Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1919-01-16

bOdId OF ItIlnSNlN ANA III ms llISl Ie-
port says: The general claims. agent
Of one of the big railroad companies
which had formerly spent fortunes
each year under the old system in
Voking every legal technicality to keep
every possible dollar from the injured
employe writes 'Ye have developed
the fact that the Compensation Act
provides a much cheaper basis for the
adjustment of claims to the employer
and more liberal and certain means
of compensating the employe than the
common law liability"
Another matter OF Importance has
been that under the Compensation Law
the employe receives his money while
he is disabled, which is when he needs
it most. Under the old system Of law
suits with their possible delays, it was
sometimes several years before results
would be reached and then tho at
torney would get from fourth to a
half Of what might be left after the
costs had been paid. The [. 5. De
partment OF Labor reports that in one
state. an investigation of 90 fatalities
showed that seven had been settled in
less than two weeks, 10 in one month.
rs in two months, in three months,
II in six months. IS in one year and
only two required more than a year.
Still another feature of Importance
has been thai in most states. when 4
compensation law has been framed, 4
State Insurance Fund has been in
augurated through which became pos
sible to retain in the state the money
that would otherwise have gone as
premiums to the various insurance
companies win stockholders in the
large financial centers. In some states
it has been made compulsory upon en-
plOyers TO carry insurance with the
state fund In others. they were al
lowed to carry insurance in such stock
companies as had been approved by the
compensation board.
In Pennsylvania the chairman of the
Workmens Compensation Board re
ported at the end of the fiscal year;
I'VE have created $30,000000 of new
insurance. Competition keeps the rate
down. At the same time it is vita
that the rating board shall fix rate:
so that the insurance carrier can pros
per In this state, the state insuranc,
fund is allowed a 10 per cent reduction
under rates as approved for the stool
companies.
In California after three vaars of .
yVorkmen's Cornnensation I aw COY
ernor Hiram Johnson renorted. 9TH,
state fund had been in connection
with twenty-five companies for thre
years on December 81 1915. At til,
end, of the first wear the stale fun,
showed $4,000 more received TO
premiums than its nearest competitor
+ the second wear showed $3.50 600 NOR
than any other company; the thir,
/ wear showed over $500 00o of busines
which was donnie what any other com
many had written
II was found that the average rati
4 Of o>penses IN nren7iurrs in me car,
fornia state fund was 1447 per cen
while i'm the stock comnanies if WI
a. ner cent As a consequences III
state fund was ahIe In declare to if
policy holders y dividend of n ne,. cen
Of the premiums earned and also ba,
established n satisfactory surpine finn
for catastropbes
The renor. Of Governor Jr',neor n
so contains the interesting sraten,on
that whereas the Comror satior Ta1
had been bitterly fought bv many of tn
bia co,.not,tions and tbc ,c,,.s,,onor
of the state had bcen very abusiv,
Vet in less Than rwo Years after N
Comncnsation law ~ent into affar
he had had tba safisfactio1 of lietcY
ing to the leader of labor and the ron
resentatives of the largest EMPLOYERS {
labor in the state of California INIT
in q public gathering in universal p1ais
Under tho circumstances 7 feel this
it is nv duty as wei 10 suggest thf
the lcqislatura .mnov-a, tho anDoir;
meut Of a commission tn study and re
aort hack a lam HAT shall he enuau
. fair and desirable 70 the employer ~
empI0vp and tho DeoDle of the stat
o. Arizona. would recommend thf
this commission be- made to incl1d