The Washington herald., 1921-05-04
DISTRICT CIVILIAN
CLUB CONDEMNS
FITZGERALD BILL
Ohio Representatives. Or
der Is Regarded as
Un-American.
ABSURDITIES S EEN
Hazardous Employment Pro-
vision of Measure Is Made
Humorous at Meeting.

The civitan Club of Washington
at its weekly meeting, yesterday
unanimously condemned as perni-
cious and an-American House bill
No. 1850. This bill which has been
introduced by Representative Fitz-
gerald. Of Ohio. provides that every
employer in the District Of Colum-
bia shall contribute to the District
insurance fund IN proportion to mis-
payroll, and that compensation for
personal injuries received by his
employees In the discharge Of their
duties shall be paid out of this fund,
In other words it not only provides
for compulsory compensation insur-
ance but compels the employer to
take out { his insurance with the
, Federal government.
In most of the States having com-.
pulsory compensation insurance
laws. the employer has the option
of taking out insurance with the
State funds or with private insur-
ance companies. The various speak
ers against the bill at the meeting
of the Civitan, Club made ii clear
that they had no quarrel with 4 rea-
eonable workmens compensation
bill for the District along the lines
States as New York and Maryland.
In fact they all felt that the District
is far behind in this form of pro-
gressive legislation. What they OBJ
ject to is the Fitzgerald measure.
AbsurditIes Seen. se
Attention was called to many alb
surdities in the bill For example
Hazardous employment" is defined
as meaning any employment in
which one or more employees are
regularly employed in the same
business or in or about the same
establishment. "Employe" means
any person engaged in a hazardous
employment. In other words, IL a
man employs a stenographer and an
office boy they are engaged in a
hazardous employment and the en-
ployes must paw toll to the District
Insurance Fund. II his wife -m-
pioys two maids, these maids are en-
gaged in hazardous employment
and she must also pay toll to the
District fund. The compensation
acts of most of the States provide
for the elimination of such incon-
gruities.
System of Reports.
The bill further provides for a
rather elaborate system of reports,
inspection. etc. Every employer
must furnish the United States
Compensation Commission all the
Information ii may require in order
to administer the act Once a year
he must make a report which will
in all probability cause him about
the same kind of distress as his in
come tax report. II the Office boy
falls on his bicycle or the Steno-
grapher drops her typewriter on
her foot he must spend the next two
days making out a voluminous re-
port. II the cook burns her hand or
the vashwoman gets snarled up
with the wringer while doing the
family wash the wife must beat it
O. to the office of the United States
Compensation Commission and take
the third degree. The books at the
office and the household accounts
at home must always be open to
the auditors of the commission. II
the gardener samples the home
brew with unfortunate results it
will only take a little team work
with the Bureau of Internal Reve-
ue-some scheme of interchanging
reports-and the Treasury Depart
ment will be waiting outside the
Commissioners room with the black
wagon on the corner. It's a great
legislative epoch and will tend to
add Joy to the life of every resi-
dent of the District.
The legislative committee of the
Civitan Club was instructed to at
tend the hearings and voice the
protests of the organization 1t is
understood that Representative
Fitzgerald has charge of the sub