Evening star., 1921-05-12
FITZGERALD BILL
BITTERLY OPPOSED
BY D. c. INTERESTS
Business and Civic Bodies
FIay Insurance Measure Be-
fore House Committee.
BOARD OF TRADE HAS
7 STRONG OBJECTIONS
U. S. Chamber of Commerce Also
Voices 0pposition-Another
Hearing Monday.

Hearing Monday.
Opposition by the organized bust
ness and civic interests of Washing
ton to the Fitzgerald bill to establish
compulsory industrial insurance in
the District, not only for those en-
gagged in hazardous employment. D,;t
including domestic help in the home
as well. was voiced today at the hear
ing before special subcommittee Of
the House District committee
The hearing will be continued next
Monday. when other opponents to the
ciuding spokesmen from the Board OF
Trade. Chamber of Commerce. Mer-
chants and Manufacturers Associa-
tion; Charles F. Nesbit. formerly COM
missioner of insurance for the Dis
IrIct. who will tell his opinions. fortf-
ned by experience with government
insurance under the bureau OF war
rlsk insurance. and Walter B. Guy
representing the Washington Auto
motive Trade Association.
Opposition Explained.
1t was emphasized today by the
speakers in opposition that there is
no real opposition to compulsory in
dustrial insurance. but that the op-
position is based chiefly on the gov
eminent entering into the insurance
business and against administrative
1t was claimed. would shoulder an ad-
dltional tax burden upon all the resi-
dents of the District.
David NJ Lea. representing the
Washington Board of Trade centered
the objection of the business men of
frt 10 h IA =
three points.
First. opposition to monopolistic
features. He said that the business
men felt workingmens compensation
should be open to competition from
all sources. stock and mutual com
Question OF Hazard.
Second, on the question of hazard
he described the Fitzgerald bill as
too embracing. He pointed out that
residential community and has few
factories or other places of really
hazardous employment and that 1t is
unfair to the community at large. be.
cause it puts a useless burden. OF in
definite taxation on the entire public
industrial insurance should be con-
fined to really hazardous employ
ment,' he argued.
Third, he said that the definition
III tIc oiil VI injuries was enIlTely
too broad. The word injury in this
bill unless limited to accidental in
juries from hazardous employment
would cover mere illness and merge
very closely on the states sick bene-
At proposition. which is certainly not
character" Mr.. Lea said.
Edward 8. Brashears. presented the
formal protest of the Board Of Trade.
He emphasized seven objections to
the bill as it now stands.
Makes Seven Objections.
First. it contemplates the entry of
the government into business Sec
ond. it sets up a monopolistic fund.
Third. the extent of the District is
too small to set up a safe fund
Fourth. there is no guarantee
of the government as to the funds
and the system starts bankrupt. Fifth
it should be administered by a local
classification of hazardous occupation
is too broad. Seventh. competition
of mutual and stock companies would
have salutary effect in holding
down premiums. The thought behind
this was that if it was government
salaries paid out to political ap-
pointees and drawn from the pre-
miums would run up the cost too high
and there would be no other system
with which to compare it in saying
it was too high.
Business Firms Against Ii.
Elliott II. Goodwin. resident vice
chairman Of the Chamber Of Com
merce of the United States, appeared
in opposition in behalf Of the fed
Grated business bodies throughout the
country. of which there are nearly
800. with an underlying membership
Of more than 100000 firms. corpora
tions and individuals. including the
Board of Trade and Chamber of Com
merce Of Washington.
He emphasize that the Chamber of
Commerce Of the United States is not
opposing the principles of workmen's
was based principally on the policy
Of the national chamber, determined
by referendum vote, against the in
reference Of government in business.
He laid stress on the point that this
is in accord with President Harding's
frequently repeated slogan, More
business in government and less gov
ernment in business"
He laid before the committee reso-
lutions on this point adopted in the
annual convention of the national
chamber in 1919. readopted in 1920.
and again in 1921, when it was en-
larged with a more specific pronounce
ment. He said that this bill would
establish a governmental body to ad-
minister form OF governmental mo-
nopoly. In summarizing the objection
Of the national chamber, Mr. Goodwin
said:
The application Of these principles
and that expressed by the chief ex-
ecutive OF the American government
to the bill in question lies In the fact
that by the provisions Of the bill the
United States employees compensation
commission, governmental BODY. is
created and administers q fund for
assurance Of compensation, excluding
all possibility Of participation by com
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