The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-01-29
LETTERS TO EDITOR
The Workman's Compensation Act

To the Editor of The Age Herald. l. Favoring a workmen's compensation
 law in principle, I feel disposed to call
 attention to the danger to workmen
 apl workers of hasty and ill-digestej 1 legislation. Unfortunately, it is a well
 known fact our newspapers are sel-
 dom open and candid with the general | public on matters of policy. economic
 or otherwise, upon which their man. agement have decided and pronounced views; they will publish so much as
 tends to promote the policy and i'm press favorably and disregard or ig- nore such facts or deductions as may
 have a contrary effect.
 i Why rush this bill through the very
 first days of the present legislative session? While the commission .lp- ! pointed for the purpose had four years ] in which to write the bill the result If i it's labors were not revealed to the public until few days prior to the bilrs introduction for passage. Is there any peculiar reason why the woTbmen should not have seen the l bill within time for it's study and com mon sense mastery since it so vitally affects his welfare, completely revo- lutionizing this part of his economic system? On the contrary, should the bill be permitted to remain on the calenda. until the last part of the split ses- sion, he and others may be able to 1 know what is hidden away in this bill that is to provide compensation for his future suffering or death as a result of his own or his employers negii- gent act.
 We may feel assured that they do
  is either to aid in removing or ran- dering less formidable Alabama com petition with outside manufacturing interests or to promote the security and stability of some commissioner political job.
 I view with suspicion these men who are silent as to the dangers and pit falls in these laws as they exist in some other states-notably, l have the record in my office where man in West Virginia had both legs injured aud was a cripple six months after ward and unable to work and through some technicality he was only allowed s9640
 At best it will not prove panacea for all the ills of employer or em- ploye as shown by no two states hav- ing like laws. their frequent amend ment and volumes of reports alrealy published of compensation cases in the law books
 Let's look at the act as published in The Age Herald under the name of w. j. Boles
 1. The law applies alike to white man and negro; both on the sane basis.
 2. The law does not apply to com mon carriers engaged in interstate business. domestic servants. farm la borers or persons whose employment at the time of the injury is casual and not in the usual course of the trade. business. profession or occupation Of the employer.
 Why this exception@ Why not apply to every employer of labor? There is no legitimate or reasonable ars1i. ment for the exception. The excepted employe needs protection as much as his brother against his own or his em- ployers negligence. Also the gate to litigation is opened for the courts TO say who is the casual employe. to de- fine who is employed in the usual course of business. etc.
 3. The bill is full of provisions for the courts, for note:
 The act provides that when personal injury or death is caused to an eM- ploye by accident arising out of and in the course of his employment. of which injury the actual or lawfully imputed negligence of the employer is the natural and proximate cause. he. or in case of his death. his personal representative. shall receive compen- sation by way of damages therefor from the employer provided the em- ploye himself was not wilfully negi,- gent at the time of receiving such in- jury, and the question of whether the employe was wilfully negligent saan be one of fact to be submitted to .he jury. subject to the usual powers of ths