New-York tribune., 1921-01-06

budget on a close scrutiny, such as it
has been impossible for me to make.
with respect to the Industrial Com
mission, | recommend that a single
headed department be created to have
charge of all matters of administra-
ton, and that board of three be at
tached to the Departmental discharge
exclusively quasi-judicisl and legisla-
tive functions, such as hearing appeals
in workmen's compensation cases, pre-
scribing rules and the like The board
should also be clothed with authority
to investigate labor conditions and to
deal with labor disputes, field of
service in which l trust progress can
be made.
~ am satisfied that such reorganiza-
tion will result in greater efficiency,
and a proper organization of the work
OF the department should result in a
saving to the state of more than ST.
O0O,0 900.
"In this connection l desire to call
attention to what appears to me to be
serious defect in the workmen's com
pensation law. 1t is essential to the
just working of the law that settle
ments be made promptly. The theory
of the law is compensation to tide an
injured employee over the period of
disability, the relation OF the employer
and the employee continuing at least
during that period. 1t will promote
better relations between employer and
employee to have these matters put
upon that basis in fact as well as
theory and to have them attended to
as far as possible in the normal way
without the introduction of third par
ties. The introduction of the insurance
carriers shifts the responsibility from
employer to carrier, with the result
that the employee has to look to ad~
mInlstrative agencies of the state or
to the third party carrier. There re-
suits an unnecessary barrier and
employee and inevitable delay, often to
the acute distress of the employee.
II recommend that the statute be
amended so as to require the continu-
ance of an injured employee on the
payroll and the payment after the two
weeks waiting period of the two-thirds
compensation required by law unless
the employer notifies the commission
that the case will be contested, in
which case the contest should be
brought on promptly for hearing. In
my opinion, that change will remove
the cause of many delays. it will pro-
m ote the automatic and harmonious op-
Grafton of the law and will tend to re-
move some of those causes Of estrange-
ment between employer and employee.
who are fortunately beginning to learn
that their interests are mutual.
Other Departmental
Increases Have Been Made
"The departments. other than those
above mentioned, in which the greatest
increases have occurred, are the Secre-
tary Of States Office, the Comptroller's
office, the Department of Health the
Educational Department and the Agri-
cultural Department
The administration of new tax laws
accounts for the principal increases III
administrative expense in the first two
named, and is covered by what has
been said on that subject. New activi-
ties have been added to the other de-
partments named, and that doubtless
accounts in considerable part for the
increases. Still those increases have
been SO great as to suggest the need
Of careful survey. Of course. moth
ing should be done to impair the Ell
cheney of those departments. But
have no doubt, indeed the mere exam
nation of the budget convinces me, that"
better correlation of effort. greater
efficiency and substantial economies
can be effected in all, Indeed. make
that observation with relation to every
department of the state government.
and we must accomplish these results
either with or without the aid of de-
partment heads.
~ think the present organization a..
the Agricultural Department unsound
upon its face. The Council Of Farms
and Markets may serve to keep the de-
partment out of politics, and for that
reason can properly be continued, bu.
it is not suited ia DISCHARGE and should
not be clothed with any administrative
function whatever. There is no reason
that l can perceive for divided de-
partment, and believe that economy
and efficiency Of administration will be
promoted by IA single head to be az.
tcontInued on next passa -