The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-09
COMPENSATION BILL
Was Considered at Hearing Last Eve
ming, Many Men Taking Part.

At a public hearing before the com
mittee on commerce and labor last eve
ming, representatives of labor and cap
ital and Others interested crowded the
reception room To suffocation to advO-
cate or protest against House bill No.
1913, which increases the compensation
under the workmen's compensation act
and to include compensation for occu-
pational diseases.
The labor side of the controversy
was we'll represented. Jack p. Mason
of Burlington for the federation OF la
Dor, Alexander Ironside, Fred w. Suit
or of Barre and Others were heard in
behalf OF the granite workers, eloquent
" and forcibly setting forth the dan
gers Of stonecutters' tuberculosis and
urging that on account of the Increases
cost of living the compensation IN the
present law represented only about
one-half Of the former earning power.
The employers protested against the
measure, especially at this time, when
it was question where they would
look for business. They urged that
the inclusion of occupational disease
as ground for compensation would
make il necessary for employers 10
shut out men who were not guaranteed
sound and healthy
DIR. ID. c. Jarvis Of Barre set forth
the occupational angle OF the question
and photograph pictures were exhibited
to the committee showing the ravnges
Of stone dust on the lungs.
Among the employers who appeared
and spoke were A. VI. Henry Of Bethel,
+. II Beayitt and Harlan w Kemp Of
Montpelier. L. f. Holden of Brattle
boro. ! C. Booth, Elmer f. Doe Of Or
leans W r. Prouty of Newport, II. l..
Hall OF Benningtos. James +. Dewey
Of Quechce. L. $. May OF Ludlow Harry
Daniels Of East Montpelier. A. +. Hol-
lister Of Bennington T. G. Gustafson Of
Bratt leboro. James A. Stacy of White
River Junction, George A. Cross of
Mortified A. b. Wilder OF Woodstock,
George c. West Of White River june
ton. G.. N. Cone 81 Hartford, r. n
skinner Of Newport, J A Harvey Of
Richford. A. J Young Of Barre. W. r.
Daley Of North Troy. H. G. Comings
Of Richford, J II Blakely Of Bellows
Falls. l.. d. Rows of Poultney. +. H.
Brasor of Brattleboro and George A.
Weston Of Bellows Falls, representing
the paper manufacturers.
sFrank ". Cory Of Montpelier was
one Of the star speakers for the en-
ployers and his rough, good -humored
ioshiuq Of the men was loudly applaud
ed BY both employers and labor men.
Several quick exchanges flashed back
and forth between Cory and the repre-
sentatves Of the granite trades. one be
tween him and Romeo Msgne in regard
to what the former called rum dis
eases"
Il never heard Of anyone getting
stonecutter's tuberculosis by drinking
rum" said Romeo, and all hands APP
plauded them both.
John McKernon and Silvio Card Of
Barre also spoke for the labor side Of
tho controversy. and many manufac-
turers who spoke urged That this was
a granitecutters' measure, the
weight Of which should not be loaded
on the other industries Of the state
II was estimated by the manufactur-
ers that the proposed bill would raise
their costs about - per cent, while the
labor men declared that the reduced
earning power Of a dollar had cut down
their compensation fully 100 per cent.