The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-17
Prouisions For Model Compensation Act

in vogue in New York during the
 last four years has demonstrated that
 the review of the documents in the
 case is not sufficient. They can
 harmonize throughout and show no
 indication of anything but the most
 complete compliance with the law
 and still work great injustice. Noth-
 ing short of an actual examination
 of the injured person will safeguard
 his rights, however specific the law
 may be.
 This, of course, presupposes an
 administrative commission or board; i;
 and it is quite too late in the day,
 it seems to me, to spend time arguing
 and urging the necessity for such an a1l-necessary agency. Yet the legis-
 ture of Tennessee just this year en-
 acted law with no other provision
 for administration than by the courts. The Alabama comml ssion, charged ith the drafting of all such legis- 1ation for the next session, likewise argued in favor of court administra- tion, on the grounds that the courts were available locally and would
 have leisure following the abolition of damage suits by the compensation system. and it's new law embodies that provision. Ten states still retain the court system of adjustment, though there Is no reasonable possibility of
 such system resulting in anything Hike thorough and uniform adminis- trationt of the law or securing the claimants their rights. It Is gratify- ing to note that of the 10 laws of
 most recent enactment all but three provide for commissions. while in New Jersey bureau was created last year whose duty 1t Is to hear and determine disputes and approve all lagreements for settlement before they can become binding, thus definitely taking that state out of the court administered class.
 "Of course. the extent of power granted these commissions varies greatly In some states they are or ganfzed with a view to economy, be- ing made up largely of ex-officio members charged with other duties so
 that but single official may be charged with the. real responsibility of administration. Their powers may be limited exclusively to the deter imitation of awards or they may also have charge of state fuhd' either competitive or exclusive. Going beyond this, they may have general supervision of all industrial and safety Legislation, with authority
 to. make and enforce rules for safety as we'll as for the administration ol the compensation law. l hold no brief for any one of these types as the only feasible one. It Is sell evident, however, that law of such importance can not be administered as a side issue to some other branch of the state government. It Is eauaily obvious that the subject Of acclueht prevention Is closely related to that of accident relief; so that 1t may pc said that, with adequate provision TOT administration and organization, the broader the powers of the commits sion, the more efficiently it can ad- minister these laws.
 "The duty of accident relief IS secondary to that of accident preven- tion and comes as sort ofsapoiogy with reparation for a regrettable in-
 eident the recurrence of which should
 be avoided by all practicable means. Of course, only limited number or commissions have as yet been granted these broader powers, but l believe 1t is correct to say that the experience of these commissions has proved the desirability of such cor l relation of duties and powers AS has
 been placed in their hands"