The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-11
MANUFACTuRERs PRESENT

About 20 Birmingham employers, rep resenting' over 50 manufacturers and mine operators. attended the confer ence. Attorneys Borden Burr and For ney Johnston acted as their spokesmen and ably presented their side of the argument. They discussed the bill from every angle. declaring that in it's present form it will work an injury in stead of a benefit to both the employer and the employe; that 1t will increase the burden of the employer, make it impossible for him to obtain liability insurance except at almost prohibtive rates; destroy his credit. and in large percentage of cases drive him into bankruptcy; that 1t affords no protec tion to the laborng man; opens the door to frauds; provides no penalties for fraudulent practices on the part of either the employer or the employe; that the schedule of compensation Is higher than In any other state except one
 John W. Altman appeared as attorney for the Alabama Federation of Labor and at the afternoon session Presi- dent w. l.. Harrison of that organiza ton also defended the bill and de- manded it's passage in its present form.
 Chief Justice John c. Anderson of the supreme court and chairman of the commission that drew up the bill,
  stating that they realized that the bill might be improved, and said they had no objections to its amendment in some particulars.
 The committee met at 10 o'clock in the house chamber and on motion of representative Gus Benners of Birming ham each side was given two hours in which to present Its arguments, the opponents of the pending bill opening v-if fhe rro fo fak In two hours, and the opponents having one hour to close.
 BURR OPENS ARGUMENT
 Borden Burr, attorney for the Ala bama Manufacturers' and Operators as- sociation and a number of large em- ployers. opened the argument.
 The history of compensation acts shows that the maximum per week has been started low. said Mir Burr. and then, if conditions justified. has been increased He cited the following schedules of max imum and minimum weekly compensa- tions of other states, now in effect:
 Colorado $S-$5: West Virginia $S-H: Louisiana, slo-A; Oklahoma, sl0-s6 vir- ginia. sl0-s5: New Jersey. s10-s5: New Hampshire, $10-s5; Delaware, $l0-S4; Mas sachusetts, $l0-$4; Iowa. si0-s6; Montana, s10-$6: Rhode Island, $10-s4: New Mexico, slO-S5 Minnesota. sl1-s6.50 Kentucky, SIP s; Maryland, s12s5 Indiana, s12-5; Illi- nois. $l2-ss: Ohio, s12-s5; South Dakota, sl2-ss; Nebraska. $12-s6 Idaho, s12-s6; Utah, sl2-S; Connecticut. S14-s5: Texas, sl5-s5: Kansas. s15-s6: New York, s15-$a, Wisconsin, s15-s7.50; California, s20S0. s4.l7.
 We must also remember that most of the southern states, with which we arc in competition at this time, have no com pensation laws at all,h MT. Burr said. seVirrinia the most recent state to enact a compensation law and which is in com petition with us in coal and iron, has placed its maximum at $10 and it's mini, mum at $5.'
 PREMIUM ON THRIFTLESS He said, the adoption of this act would in effect be equivalent to the offering or a premium to the thriftless and the casual worker who works one or two days week. and charged that it would be, unfair to class the great mass of negro la borers in Alabama with the skilled and intelligent workmea of New Jersey, Mas sachusetts and some other states. In Ohio, which he said to his mind has the ideal act, the rate is 66 2-3 per, cent of wages, with a maximum of SIP week.
 The act provides that the employer may take out insurance but 1t was not com pulsory However. if this insures against
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