Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-12-22

WASHINGTON. Dec. 22.-Wheth-
err a man Was murdered or commit
ted suicide is one OF the interesting
points on which Mrs. Albert Brueg-
gem1n must express an official opln-
ion IN the course OF her work on the
Employees Compensation Commits
sion. If thu man IN question, a gov
eminent employe. was murdered, his
widow and children who are left de-
penaent would receive compensa-
ton. If he committed suicide, there
by deliberately cutting off their
means of support, the government
cannot be responsible for his de-
~pen4ents.
Comparatively few people outside
of the government service realize
that Uncle Sam makes himself re-
sponsible Tor injuries contracted by
his employees while ia the line OF
duty. And still fewer know that the
government compensation commits
sion sets a high standard for in
situations of this sort.
The government compensation act
is like the workmen's compensation
act of the states and yet in several
ways it is quite different. AS Mrs.
Brucggemau. n q the commits
sioners points out;
THE government is far more lib
cral to its workers than employers
in the states are required to be. In
the states, it is the private employ
er Of labor who has to pay when
a workman is allowed compensation
for an injury. To pay the compen-
sation and at the same time hire a
new man in the inquired workman's
place may ne a serious financial our
den TO the employer So the state
commissions u read the law very
closely.
"But the government can afford
to he more liberal TO it's employees.
1t really VENTS to come to the as
sistance of its employees when they
are disabled through their work.
For instance, if two men in a gov
eminent machine shop were scuffinS
and n fell against a machine and
was hurt, how should the case be
decided? Should the men have been
scu1fling? Was it tlieir W lookout
that the accident occurred.
I'm a cas-. Of THIS sort, the gov
eminent is apt to ne broader in it's
decision tkan Il state commission
could be. Workmcn are human be-
liE1, NOT Hlft4ililEE- ElAu Abt AAI1hAs
may leave a family destitute for
months.
the Federal Law
at the same time, the govern
ment compensation law states plain
ly that no compensation can be
awarded for an accident due TO care
lessless on the parc of the person in
jured. Nor will the government as
- L.IaAEfhFTft F,. . napgnn in
jured while intoxicated or for
who deliberately Kills or Injuries
himself. SO that commissioners have
to consider every detail of the evil
dence and act as board Of judges to
decide"
Mrs. Brueggemen Is the newest
commissioner-the woman on the
board. Her fellcw commissioners.
joan Keegan and Charles Berrill,
have suggested her for chairman,
ana President Harding is now con
sidering thu matter.
From q conversation with Mrs.
Brueggemau. you would say that she
is q good choice cor the business
of Judging She mas a strong SYM
patty for the person who is injured
and for the family which is more
Oft N than rot an equal sufferer. But
she is at The san's time conscien-
tious. One of her duties is to see that
the government is not taken advan-
tag Of.
II wish ! didn'. take it quite so
seriously" she SAID with a rather
wistful smile. II dream for nights
afterwar6 Cf some of the cases we
can't allow. You see there is no
appeal from the decision of the COM
mission and that makes each case a
great responsibility
Mrs. Brueggeman is one of the wo-
men who have been launched into
important offices by the recent cleo
ton. Becor- the war. she was a wo-
mar of leisure with Il home in st.
LOuis-One of the wnuen interested
in c~iyics, politics anG social prob
lens. She was an ardent worker,
and when the responsibility was over
she became interested in the APP
preaching presidential campaign.
Her Political Work
She became a member of the Re-
publican National q Committee from
Missouri and the National Advisory
Committee of which Taft, Root
and Beverage We're members. Her
appointment to Office she says came
as a surprise But President Hard
ing told her that she could do the
work and that sha would enjoy 1t.
1t seems the President VAS right.