The Connecticut labor news., 1923-01-05

Pensions to dependents in case of death are usually small fraction of the breadwinner's earning 10 to so per cent (this statement refers to the actual, which is invariably less than the nominal, percentage of wages)-payable for a limited term. In many states the total death benefit is $3,ooo or $4,ooo, payable in weekly installments over a period ot SIX, eight or ten years, and IS the same to a childless widow as to a large family. In other states the widow re- ceives a small pension-$5 to $1o weekly-and has an additional allow ance for each child under a specified age. Five states continue the widows pension during widowhood, ates in the sixth eighth, Or tenth year, irrespective. of age or earning, capacity. By singualr perversion Of common sense, the allowance to an orphaned child is everywhere less than the pension of an able-bodied widow Payments to or on account of a child cease at the age of I6 in many states at IS in the most pro- gressive jurisdictions, and at I4 in some of the former slave-holding states. In still other states-a ma jority of all indeed-payments cease at the end of a fixed term, irrespec- tive of the number, ages, or economic status of the children. In no state is the rate or the total amount of compensation at all sufficient either to replace the lost earnings of the deceased breadwinner or to provide reasonable maintenance and education for the widow and children.
 IT L.
 ton is nominally SO, 60, 65, or 66 2--3 per cent of wages. Cit IS 66 2-3%o in all states, 65b in 5 states, 6o9o Tn IS states) The actual percentage of wage is, however, very much less than the statutes seem to promise, for the weekly payments are everywhe ere subject to fixed maxima. SIP, SIS, or $2o. (Ten dollars in 3 states, ST i'll one, SIP in I2, SIP to SIS in I2, $2o or more in 6) In Pennsylvania, e. g., wheer the nominal rate is Go per cent of earnings, the actual rate is from 25 per cent in high-paid to 50 per cent in low-paid occupations the general average in 1920 being 40 per cent of weekly earnings. The proportion of compensation to wage loss is still less than the ratio of weekly compensation to weekly wage. The waiting period" seriously reduces the compensation
 for temporary disability while time limits have yet more serious effect in the case of permanent disability. The waiting period, during which no com pensation is payable is most often one week, Gone week in 25 states, 10 days in( 7, two weeks in &, less than one W eek in 3, in number of states 10 days or two weks, in a few jurisdic- Ind week waiting period with a maximum of SIS weekly, a skilled workman re- ceives a total compensation of $50 for a months disability against wage loss of at least $I5o. Upon an aver age of all temporary disabilities under the Pennsylvania law, e. g., comPen- sation does not exceed 25 per cent of wage loss. (See Statistical Analy- sis issued by the Pennsylvania Com pensation Rating Bureau (annuaD. }. Other statements as to Pennsylvanla's s experience are based on unpublished records, and upon the writer's per sona1 knowledge) Even this low ratio takes no account of disabilities or less than 10 days duration.
 Compensation for permanent dis ability is subject to the limits already mentioned as to weekly rate, and usually also to still less justifable limit in point of time. Only I2 states California, Colorado, Montana, Ne braska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Wash ington and West Virginia. Wisconsin has a variable period depending upon the age of the injured. It is note worthy that only two industrially inn portant states provide life pensions.) orOvide life pensions even for Derman- ent total disability, In most states the utterly helpless victim of a work injury who has the misfortune to survive for 10 years is then relegated to the almshouse Still more curious aa-.A daa1ec of Snecif1c indennitv V