The Cordova daily times., 1921-05-31
LIABILITYBILL ISN0T REMEDY
 RIGGS CLAIMS

the Dill introduced by representative Brown and passed by both houses of the late legislature which had for it's purpose forcing big fishing companies to bring better class labor into the territory to conduct their seasonal operations. The manner in which this was intended to be done was by mak- ing the companies liable for expenses incurred by the territory cr anyone else in connection with illness or dis ability of the employees.
 Governor Riggs, in ! public state ment, points out glarintg dcf,cts in the measure which ill his judgment made it entirely unworkable The statement follows:
 House Bill No. 25, 'An Act making employers liable for medical and other aid furnished persons imported into the territory under seasonal contracts of employment. and making it mis- demeanor to discharge such employees during their term of employment, by reason of physical or mental disabili- ty' has not been approved by inc.
 While the bill is designed to cor rect certain conditions which have arisen in the territory and which should undoubtedly be corrected, the senate committee substitute for the original house bill does not carry the proper remedy My objections to the bill are:
 "G) The constitutionality of the bill is extremely doubtful All the people of the United States may freely visit any portion of the same. No state or territorial law may curtail this right. tional right and this act would impose limitations upon that power of con- tract. The bill in substance aud effect provides what contract shall be with reference to furnishing subsistence to a discharged or incompetent employee.
 "(2) The bill makes it possible for q number of men to enter into a COIL tract with a mining or fishing corpor- ation in Seattle or elsewhere for nm- ployment in Alaska, knowing at the time that they did not intend to carry out the terms of the contract. They could come to Alaska and strike or force discharge and thus terminate contract. They could procure return transportation from some person, who could in turn sue the corporation an1 recover transportation for the whole crew. There are number of nther loopholes for conspiracy 70 defraud the corporation.
 "l3) Sec. 1 provides that any per son who brings laborers for reasonable occupation shall be liable for all mon- ey advanced or expenses incurred by the territory, or anybody else, in furn- sshing necessary medical or other aid, or in supplying return transportation to any such employe in the event the latter, during the term of such con tract or within thirty days succeeding the termination of the contract, be- comes incapacitated and public charge
 'It is observed that there is no time limit fixed when the liability at tempted to be imposed will expire, nor s there any way by which the em- 'loyer can bring the liability to an end. For instance, if an employe should 'ecome insane the employer would be fable for the term of such insanity.
 Sec. provides that if an employer} rings 25 or more employees into the erritory under contract or agree 1ent for seasonal occupation, and # he employer discharges such en- loves on account of physical or men, al disability and the employe becomes
 public charge within thirty days ucceeding the expiration of the con- ract, the employer shall be guilty of
 misdemeanor.
 "Under this section, in order to es-  ape being guilty of misdemeanor, he employer is required to keep the incompetent employe on his payrollsi indefinitely.
 "(4) The reason of the bill as ex-! ,lained to me was mainly on account ,f certain employees of canneries ill Bristol bay having been discharged 'or incompetence which afterward proved to be insanity. For some time these discharged employees were nuisance in the locality where dls- charged. They were later arrested tried, adjudged insane and transported to the asylum at Morningside at an expense to the United States. AS Tar as I know there has never been any expense to the territory on account or discharged employees of corporatlon' ,,tbough on one occasion some em-