The Connecticut labor press., 1921-01-14
Workers Gain in Years
Crist of Protective LdlUs
SUMMARY Shows Continued
Safety and Health Extensions,
Old Age Pensions and Com
pensatiOn Acts.

The output of protective labor 1egis1a-
ton in 1920, particularly in the field of
| vances despite the small number of
states holding regular legislative ses-
sions during the year and scattering
Set-baCkS due to a wave of reaction
With the adoption of workmen's COM
pensation by Georgia, there is now a
total of AZ states having compensation
laws, in addition to Porto Rico, Alaska
and Hawaii as we'll as the Federal gov
eminent with a model act for its half
million civilian employees. The six
states still remaining without this form
of social insurance are largely in the
non-industrial South. C:,e more chap
ter was added to the shame Of Missouri
when that state in a referendum at the
recent election overturned the compen-
sation law. This adverse action is
credited to the activities of ambulance
chasing lawyers who succeeded i'll hold
ing down the vote in industrial centers
despite the joint efforts of the organ
lied employers of the state and the
Federation of Labor in support Of the
law.
The trend among the states is stead
lily toward more liberal cash payments
and adequate medical care for injured
workers. Rapid progress has been
made by the states in providing for the
vocational rehabilitation of industrial
cripples through federal-state co-opera-
| ton under the law recently enacted by
Congress. The movement for old age
assistance laws in the states was given
an impetus through the enactment by
Congress of law for compulsory, con-
| tributory old age and disability insur
ance for the governments 10000 en-
| p1oyes in the classified civil service-a
Significant extension of social insurance
| legislation New York came into line
with a pension system covering old
employees of both city and state.
Further recognition was given by
Congress to the need of protection for
the increasing army of women wage
| earnerS by the creation of Women's
Bureau in the Department of Labor.
In one state, Massachusetts,, advanced
| acton was taken looking to the early
adoption of law for maternity pro-
| lection.
Twelve states and Congress amended
| existing compensation laws, shortening
| the waiting period, extending provisions
for medical care and bringing private
casualty companies doing workmens
compensation business under stricter
control New York brought within the
compensation law limited number of
occupational diseases, and legislated
| against the evil of compensation run
ners." Kentucky and Virginia found it
! possible to reduce the tax needed for
administrative expenses. Louisiana
made accident insurance compulsory.
| North Carolina authorized a commits
| sion to investigate the desirability of
| workmen's compensation legislation.
Congress extended the principle of
the federal employers liability act for
| railway employees to cover actions by
| injured seamen IN admiralty.
In line with the new developments in
| workmen's compensation, United
States law offers federal aid on a dol
taking to rehabilitate their industrial
cripples. New York, New Jersey, North
| Carolina and Georgia passed bills &C
| cepting the federal act, making total
| of "a states that have taken action
| looking to such rehabilitation, Is states
| having by legislative enactment or
through proclamatlOns of acceptance by
| their respective governors, accepted the
provisions of the new federal law.
Massachusetts, authorized the appoint
| ment of a commission on rehabilitation.
Further advance action was taken by
| Congress in the final passage of bill
providing for the retirement of super
| animated employees in the federal civil
service. New York established pension
systems for employees of New York
| City, New York State and State char
table institutions.
Massachusetts, and New Jersey lib
eralized existing pension laws.
A step forward in the field of ma
| ternity insurance legislation was taken
| by Massachusetts, in authorizing legis-
| 1ative commission to investigate the
| problem of prenatal and postnatal care
| for mothers and their children.
Child labor restrictions were extended
| in Massachusetts, by law forbidding
| children under 10 to clean or repair
| freight elevators while Virginia grant
| ed children permission to work in cam
| neries when the schools were not in
session. Oregon enacted safety code.
| Maryland created board of boiler
rules and Kentucky required mines,
steel mills, foundries and machine shops
to provide Mushrooms. Maryland, Ken
lucky and New York authorized the
appointment of commissions-in the
| former to revise the industrial laws and
| in the two latter to revise child welfare
| legislation.
Hours of children in factories work
shops and mercantile establishments
were reduced from 10 to eight a day in