The Coconino sun., 1925-08-28
PROPOSED ARIZONA COMPENSATION LAW


A few days ago a Tucson attorney, A. A. Wors
ley, made several street addresses in the Globe
Miami district against the proposed compensation
law for Arizona.
Mr. Worsey is quoted as saying that the pro
posed law viii nullify and render void the presen
Arizona Employers Liability law. Such state
ment is not fact, as the proposed law will have
no effect whatever upon the Employers Liability
law, and it win remain in full force and effect a:
it is at the present time.
Mr.. Worsley is further quoted as saying thai
under the proposed law that if dependent tx
whom death is to be paid is alien not residing
in the United States, that said dependent woulo
not receive any benefit whatsoever under the law
This too, is far from the facts The proposed law
specifically states that ''if the dependent to whom
death benefit is to be paid is an alien not resid
ing in the United States the compensation shall
be only so per cent of the amount or amounts be
fore specified" Tin the text of the law.
Mr.. Worsley is also alleged to have said that i
the workers would defeat the proposed law hi
would draft perfect law and see that it was
passed. Just how he expects to do such thing
he did not explain.
The facts in the case are these: Mr.. Worsley is
an attorney who makes speciality of personal in
jury cases. With the passage of the proposed law
there will be great falling off in personal injury
suits, and naturally this will remove source ot
income to the personal injury lawyer.
The present law provides that in every com
pensation case, settled by lawyer the lawyer
shall De entitled to receive 25 per cent Of the
amount of compensation received. Cases have
been known in which the attorneys received
larger Slice The settlement of three small per
Sona injury cases have recently come to our at
tention In which the attorney received $500 fol
his share for 30 minutes work in getting the In
jured workmen to sign on the dotted llne-S60(
that under the new law would have gone to the
needy workmen.
Under the present system there are many cases
record Of Worknen permanently disabled OF
killed who were paid lump sum In settlement o.
their claims, only to have one-fourth of it go tx
the personal injury. lawyer and tie other three
f0ufthS get away from him short time after
ward. The injured man or his dependents or both
we're then thrown upon public charity for thei1
existence, to the detriment of themselves and tht
taxpayers. The new law will do away with al
this.
The new law may not be perfect in every min
ute detail, but it is mighty good start towards
definite constructive goal and one that can bt
modified from time to time as the need arises.
The present Arizona compensation Legislation
was passed in 1912-the year Arizona was ad
mitted to statehood many changes in this
little old world have taken place since then. Ari
zonas present compensation legislation is the old
est unamended compensation law In existence IL
the United States.
We would not dream of driving a 1912 automo
bile in this year 1925. Why try to operate al
antiquated and out-of-date compensation law tha
does not compensate?
Vote YES" on the amendment to the constitu
ton EXTENDING WORKMEN'S COMPENSA
TION' at the special election to be held Septem
Der 49, 1925, and ask all your friends to do like
Wise.-Southwestern Labor Record
So far very little interest has been shown in tht
coming special election to be held on September
29th. The above editorial taken from the South
western Record, the official labor paper of tht
state, questioning the motives of Attorney Wors
ley would indicate division of opinion among those
supposed to be friendly to labor. The so-callec
wall Street gang" and the predatory rich" have
taken apparent interest in the matter
From casual perusal of the proposed law We
are inclined to think it would be an improvement
on the present law which permits ambulance
chasing" lawyers to start suit on the slightes1
provocation in hopes of getting 25 per cent Of
whatever amount Is awarded the claimant. The
proposed law fixes the amount for the injuries re
ceived according to The hazard of the occupation
The employer pays the state for the insurance Of
his employees. The state pays according to giver
schedule The employe knows what he is legally
entitled to and gets it without paying goodly
share of it out for lawyers fees and costs of bring
ing a suit. He may get some award or he may
get nothing. The proposed law insures him of al
award for legitimate claim.
SIGNS OF WINTER APPROACHING