The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-09

Blrmln gham manufacturers, mine operators, and other employers of la Dor held a conference yesterday morn ing, at which the provisions of the workmans compensation act, now pending in the senate. were taken up seriatim and discussed from every sn- gle. Attorneys representing several of the corporations were present and gave their opinions as to the legality, feasibility and effectiveness of certain of the clauses.
 The immediate result of the confer ence was the determination to send a strong delegation to Montgomery :o- morrow to appear before the judiciary committee of the senate and the min- ing and manufacturing committee of the house which will meet in joint session to hear whatever the advocates or opponents of the measure may have to say.
 It was stated during the day that a number of amendments are being drawn. or have already been drawn, and that these will be placed in the hands of members of the senate with the request that they be offered when Slt Di4t AS G<11lSu l utSUdS
 Ben K. Stroud, manager of the Ala bama Manufacturers and Operators association. gave out a statement last night which sets forth the position of the manufacturers and mine operators and other employers in this district He calls attention to a number of fea- lures of the bill which, if it is enacted in its present form, would he con- tends. work hardship upon both the employer and the employe.
 The employers represented at the conference yesterday expressed them selves in favor of d compensation act, but not the one that is now pending in the senate They insist that the bill be put over until after the recess, claim ing that the three weeks since the biii was introduced and printed has not been sufficient to enable the people to study and familiarize themselves with it
 The Birmingham delegation will go tqs Montgomery this afternoon.
 MT. Stroud's statement follows:
 we find that the manufacturers of the state are largely without informa- tion as to the details of this bill. The whole matter has taken them by sur- pIiSc IOT the reason that the manu- facturers had no reason to anticipate serious consideration of a compensa- ton bill with such definitely objec- tionable features. The bill was not printed and available for distribution until about January 15. No manufac- turer has had opportunity to analyze its provisions with reference to his particular business. No manufacturer or employer was conferred with prior n hn for ,1ot 1f who have had an opportunity to so into the matter with that care which so important a subject demands say that amendment of the bill is essential in important particulars both from the standpoint of employer and emplove.
 Among other necessary notifications may be mentioned exclusion of employees whose injuries result from wilful fail- ure or refusal to use safety appliances; provision clarifying the procedure for enforcing attorneys liens where settle ment is in installments; placing employ CT and employe under the same incen- tive to come under the bill; removing the discrimination between the proposed schedules which would heavily burden Alabama as compared with neighborng and competitive states. and so defining the rate of compensation as to make it certain that the statute will not be used as a discrimination against a diligent and honest workman in favor of the cas- ual workman and others who might be disposed to abuse the weekly payments and remain idle.
 The bill continues benefits to depen . dents in many cases after all dependency has been removed. It frankly encourages the remarriage of widows by requiring the employer to pay her a lump sum settlement on emarriage-although she might be without children and be mar ried to a husband with abundant means to care for her.
 This unique provision is to be found only in two states, in Colorado where the minimum weekly payment is $s as compared with s17.50 under the proposed bill, and in Minnesota, where the maxi mum is s11 a week. In neither of those states is there any occasion to consider the psychology of the colored widow. In short. a number of the essential pro- visions of this bill are adopted from other states whose problems are absolute ly unlike our own and where conditions in industry are much more uniform.
 This bill is radically defective in adequate assurances to the employe, that he will really receive the compensation awarded. It's insurance features are sing ularly burdensome. It will force many employers engaged in hazardous or semi - hazardous industries to take long chances