The Monett times., 1922-11-03
2 COMPENSATION
BlLLS o.. 49, "a /.
Labor Leaders oppose al
Injury Measure TO Be FC.>N
I Under Initiative.
Reproduced 4rom 81. AJts
Sept. s, 1922.

Sept. s, 1922.
A bill entitled Estate Compensation
and Personal Injury Law" wli.n, ac-
cording to Elmer Donnell, manager
of the Associated Industries, ,fas
drafted by damage suit lazy RS, 20
opposed workmeh's compenset on,
will appear on the ballot at the o.
venlber election under the initiative
law at the same time that the work
mems compensation law passed by the
last session of the legislature is vot-
ed on under the referendum.
Officials Of the state federation of
labor, including R. T. Wood of Spring
field, the president, who supported
the workmen's compensation law,
have charged that the bill to be sub
mitted to initiative is scheme BY
damage suit lawyers, and other inter
est opposed to workmen's con- E2,7-
saIion, to divide the workmnn'S snp-
part for the compensation law, know
ing that in this way both measures
would be defeated.
The estate Compensation and Per
Sonal Injury Law Is 50 radical, &C
cording 10 DoEnell and lawyers who
have examined it, that it would he
Impossible 70 operate under it. All
defense of employers would he taken
aray and no insurance company
would write policies in Missouri under
II.
Daanell said today il had been dis
covered the same interests that he!d
rlp worslnaen's compensation and
caused the law Ia be submitted 10 =
referendum. circulated the initiative
y,4tif5ons Il have the new bill placed
1sn the ballot under tae initiative,
tAonneIl said:
While the employes have beer
lighting 70 prevent the Workmen 5
Compensation Act being referred 10
the puhlic throngh 3 referendum Pc
r7-son, ire State Compensation ara
Persona Injury Law was overlooked.
TIE petition 10 submit ,his law have
beer fled in Jefferson CeIy.
Takes Away Defenses.
This proposed law sakes practie-
ally al possible defense in damage
init. avzv from tire employers. /:
concerns not only employers, bu; the
entire public. FOR Il affects even ACE
ssezts. on the street. For instance, il
an automobile colliGes @ith another
one or if the driver of az automobile
iajurez anyooeiy. tAis new las Tould
apply.
@The proposed law has been very
ceyerIy drawn. We do not know who
drew it. but the bill shows, on the face
Of it, that it Is the work Of damage
suit lawyers.
~The bill even provides that when
an accident has occurred in another
state the suit can be brought in Mis-,
souri,. For instance somebody has
been killed in an accident in Illinois
3 suit OF damages can be brought in
Missouri as provided for in section Y
of the bill.
"This bill repeaIs the present LA
bilitv law of Missouri and makes in.
operative also the worlZman's com
pensation act. The astonishing faci
is that the referendum petitions fol
the Workmen's compensation act an'
the initiative petitions for this new
bill have been submitted by the same
parties. In one, the referendum, the!
want the workmen's compensation
act, while the other bill, submitte'
through initiative, repeals that act.
at seems ridiculous to submit bot
bills next November to the voters, a
one repeals the other, in case bot
should be approved by the voters.