Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-23
A WOMAN OFFICIAL
BY Frederic J. Haskin

afterward OF some Of the cases ys
can't allow. You see there IL no APP
peal from the decision Of the COM
mission and that makes each case a
great responsibility.
Mrs. Brueggeman ~ one of the wo-
men who have been launched into
important offices by the recent eiee-'
tion. Before the war, she was a 1o-
man Of leisure with a home in -.
Louis--one Of the women interested
in ciyics. politics. and social problems.
She was an ardent worker, and when
that responsibility was over she be-
came interested in the approaching
presidential campaign.
Her Political Work.
She became member OF the Re-
publican National Committee from
Missouri and later was on the National
Advisory Committee Of which Taft.
Root and Beyeridge were members.
/ Her appointment to Office she says
came as a surprise. But President
/ Harding told her that she could DO the
work and that she would enjoy u. 10
seems the President was right.
Mrs. Brueggeman explained that the
Government Is progressive IN its COM
pensation law IN that all Of its civil
employees benefit by II. In the state
laws men and women who are aged
in industries are practically the only
ones who may be compensated by law
and there Is variety Of opinion in
different states as 10 what industries
are sufficiently hazardous TO entitle
workers TO compensation II they are
injured.
In the Government, a man who IL
struck by a falling object is entitled
to file claim whether ne Is a clerk who
was struck by fling cabinet, or a
laborer hit by a falling crate
The Government law recognizes
that there are dangers Of Office work.
not so numerous or frequent as those
Of a machine shop. but stiIl worthy Of
consideration.
Typical Office disabilities are often
! among the least difficult cases for the
commission to decide II Tuberculosis
is contracted and the patient claims
that the disease developed because of
: insanitary or otherwise bad conditions
in his Office the commission must IN
vestigate both Office and home con-
? ditions before making a decision. 70
may be that the patient has been
careless Of sanitation and of hi. health
at home
I A number Of ciains are filed with
Z the Government for influenza cases
r contracted. 1t is held, in draughty or
e badly ventilated rooms. In some Of
i these, too, the commission finds that
y there is not sufficient evidence tina,
!. office conditions We're responsible.
: 1t is especially hard 10 fix respon.i.
8 bility for disease which might hav,
Q been contracted az any time during z
- considerable period. In every case
every possible bit Of evidence il Oh
= tained and carefully reviewed. tn,
.. commissioners have their staff n
: doctors, lawyers. and claim experti
/ with whom to consult, and doctor
II and lawyers in different parts OF IN,
/ country work with the commission Z,
clear up cases OF Federal enployee
g. working outside Of Washington
le In 1927, to date, the commission ha
II paid out sf.129,0oo in compensation 10
y injuries This does not include luml
1r sum compensation which is occasion
n ally given 10 man too seriously in
at Jured 10 return TO his work. A lurn
OF sum sometimes gives him a chance I
n start small business for hinnsei,
The commission is kept busy. Their
80 are nearly. 10000 Federal emplovee
er and several hundred cases come il
Is daily.