The Connecticut labor news., 1923-08-25
Wide Discrepancies Are
 Shown In Compensation
 Laws Of Various States
Move for Amendments to Connecticut Stat utes, Blocked By Re actiOnary l. e gi s la lures, Brings to Light M any c h a n g e s Needed.

The unsuccessful attempts made by
 the GonnecticutA Federation of Labor
 before the past two legislatures to amend the Workmen's Compensation
 laws and by increasing the awards to
 65 per cent. of the weekly wage and
 otherwise changing the law so that
 1t would be the most up-to-date in
 the country, are not to be dropped
 but efforts will be made this fall in
 city and town elections to elect men
 to even municipal positions favorable
 to such changes and who will have a
 big influence on the choce of those the next legislature. While the Con- necticut Ia wis admittedly good in all. except the amount of compensation there are still needed changes where
 by occupational diseases will be in cluded as they are/included in a great many other states The last two legislatures were so reactionary that nothing could be done about securing laws favorable to the workingman or woman, Labor's representatives in fact having all they could do to keep thn1 from passing laws that would en- slave the worker by denying him the right to strike.
 That there is wide discrepancy in the compensation laws of the several states and uniform, or nearly uni form law is needed is the consensus of the National Industrial Conference Board in "a report just issued. It says:
 Identical injuries are compensablc Tn widely varying amounts in vari-, ous states and there is similar in- equality in the courts interpretation of identical sections of the various laws. What Is needed most in the administration of the workmen's com pensation laws, in the opinion of the boards experts. is greater considera- ton of the opinion of medical men in the administration of the laws and more Uniform opinions among those concerned with their administration.
 "In several states legislatures have failed to appropriate sufficient funds to permit any extended andy sis of the records accumulated in the 1 laws administration. For this reason | most of the improvements and. has been brought about | by legislative intent, rather than past | experience.
 The report shows that employers, for failure to report accidents of their men, may be fined various ranging from $4o in Cali i fornia, Delaware and Illinois, to s. 500 m West Virginia, or years hard | labor in Alabama
 "The term medical service receives widely different interpretations in various states. Ohio and Connecticut have freed employers from liability when injured worlmen took their troubles to quacks and doctors of medical electricity
 Similarly, the California state commission refuses to reimburse worker who consulted a Chinese herb doctor; Iowa and Connecticut do not regard osteopaths as qualified to act in compensation cases, while California permits them In Wiscon- sin, Christian Science treatment may be resorted to by an injured worker with his employers consent. There a death from a bruised shin-bone in- lection, which was treated by prayer, was held compensable. However, a Boston elevated railroad employe, who presented $I4 bill for services by a Christian Science practitioner ast his claim.
 States differ in the laws rulings on various surgical operations. For instance, the hand extends to the el- DOW in the legal opinion of Ala oama, Connecticut, Delaware, Kan 'as, Nebraska, New York and other states, while it extends only to the wrist in California, Ohio and Mon ana. The human foot in Colorado ,xtends only to the knee. New York akes a middle ground, merely quali- ying 1t as some place between the lnee and the ankle A Pennsylvania worker lost the power to walk easily with one foot and received compen- aticn, while in Minnesota the su- ,reme court refused to affirm a imilar award because the foot was till there. but authorized partial