The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-02-17
BY Ralph ]. Benjamin

The casualty insurance companies
Of the East are conducting a red hot
campaign nj Olympia 70 break down
the industrial insurance act sena'
tor cleary. Of Beliingham. il pushing
a bill 20 let tho casualty companies
do that
Under the state Insurance act the
employers pay into the state inHuf-
anoe fund each year sums OF money
assoHeed on payroils, This FUND ~
administered By tho state for the
care OF workmen who arc injured In
industry. II has run the casualty
companies out OF the state. for u
does the work better. more efficient
~ and more humanely than the pri'
yaic. profitsecking corporation can
DO H.
Senator Cleary's bill would permit
employers 90 take out casualty inhuF-
ance instead Of paying into the state
accident insurance fund. or permit
than 20 post bonds and carry their
own insurance on their workmen.
This IL what casualty insurance
means:
II workman n injured ho n NJ
the mercy Of private corporation
operated for profit Maybe no viii
get justice and maybe he won't II
no doesn't. he must hire a lawyer
and fight his case before the Indus
trial insurance department in olym'
pia. That makes fat fees for law
yera. That costs tho injured work
man a lot Of money. In most cases
tho workman cannot afford 20 fight
and tho casualty company may gyp
him without fear
Tho insur uco depn becomes
cour, before which lawyers appear
ana argue around Prccedents arr
built up and decidons are printed
Expense pyramids-expsnso that the
taxpayers must pay.
And tho injured workman II al
ways up against tho trained. expert
highly paid lawyers OF tho casualty
companies. whose duty Il IL 20 gyp
tho workman Just ns hard and AZ
often aa the law win allow.
The casualty companies wtIl--aJ
they have done IN other states
make n strong bid for control OF tbs
insurance department 20 that heJ
can have rtranRis hold.
The 70 called self insurer" that tbs
cleary bill would leEalizs in Wash
/ inFton, IL worse than the casshltJ
proyihlons Of the Same measure" II
would permit group Of employers
20 carry their own insurance upon
posting bond II workman cm
ployed by n ssif.inEursr ia injured
no deals with his employer. II h.
fights for Justice. he may lose hb
Job. II his friends tell the uuu
about the accident. they may b
fired. II he makes n night anyway
he has got 10 hire lawyer. Ny
what A nice bin for the lawyers
That isn't ali Of it. What hap
pens II there II an accident Ike M
Dawson. New Mexico. coal mine dis
aH,or7 why. tho injarod workmen
and tho orphans and widows 80
lNoTHfNGi Fine law. isn't IT. Fin
for tho employer. perhaps-iho man
Of tho lhrFss; employers In tho stat
are fighting that system hard-eu
mighty punk for tho workman.
Tho casualty companies arc max
| ing fight for their bill. Thay wan
TO get back into this state, IL r.
rich field for plucklng WILL THE
CONTROL ENOUGH LEGISLAT
oRs To PUT THEIR BILL OVER
The statc Industrial insurance sys
tenn is right Tho casualty com
paniea should be kept out, and tn
-selfInAurer" freaks are worse thai
no protection for tho working man.
Under the state insurance. no gan
OF stockholders stands around Wit
hands out for dividcnds. The do
partment is operated at exact cos'
There In no favoritlsm because II
not 10 tho intercs; Of either employ
er or department 10 play fRvori,es.
But tho casualty companies shou
that they can do IL all for les
money: that they can save tho en-
ployers much cash. And they canl