The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-02-26
EFFORT T0CUT
DEATH BENEFIT
MORE Is FUTILE
House Rejects State Affairs
Committee Amendment Put
ting Maximum at $12,5OO
MAY PASS SENATE BILL
Maximum Placed at $4,000
Therein-Repeal of Anti.
Pass Bill Is'Killed

Rejecting recommendation of the
state affairs committee that the
maximum total disability and death
benefit payable under the state
workmen's compensation law be re-
duced to $l2,5OO, the house commit
tee of the whole Friday recommended
the bill for passage as it came from
the senate.
The senate measure limits the liza
bility of the fund to $4,000 for eth
er death or permanent total disabili-
ty. The present law had no limita-
ton features.
Reversing its actions of Thursday,
the house killed bill providing for
repeal of the anti-pass law enacted
in 1911. The vote was % to l6. In
the original bill, the house amended
the anti-pass law to permit free
transportation Of the dependent
members Of families of railroad doc
tors. The senate amended the house
bill to repeal the old statute entirely.
Sharp Party Fight
+ A sharp party fight developed in
| connection with a resolution offered
by J. H. Burkhart, Ward county, mi
nority floor leader, which demanded
that the state industrial commission
be requested to inform the legisla-
ture as to whether there are on file
monthly statements of the state mill
and elevator prepared at the direc-
tion of the governor and filed by him
with the industrial commission.
The house previously had passed
without argument q resolution offer
ed Thursday by G. v. Freeman, Grand
Forks county, demanding that the
governor file with the legislature re-
ports on the mills operation re-
quired by law and that he also ex-
plain why the loss on the enterprise
was greater in 1926 than in 1925.
A report sent to the house by the
governor following introduction of
the Freeman resolution was referred
to the state affairs committee.
Attempts by Nonpartisans to pass
the Burkhart resolution or to get it
!, on the calendar for today were de-
fcated after sharp fight and the
document was referred to the state
affairs committee, headed by L. L.
Twichcll, majority floor leader.
Twichell objected to passage of
the resolution Friday and to placing
it on the calendar for today on the
ground that it should not be adopted
He challenged it's accuracy as to
law and facts recited by Burkhart in
the preamble to his demand on the
industrial commission. Burkhart
pointed out that the procedure ad.
vocatcd to place it on today's cal.
cndar was the same as that followed
in the Freeman resolution but his
motion lost, 49 to 50.
Anti.pass Bill Acted On
Action on the anti-pass bill was
:, taken on motion Of ]. M. Thompson
Burleigh county. who sponsored tht
original bill in the house. Thompson
said he was placed in the position 0l
father who has to whip his owr
child; that he used to think hi
wanted to be senator, but that
since the bill came back from the
senate with such an amendment he
had changed his mind. As introduced
he said, the bill would hurt nobody
but 40 amended it would give every
one pass who wanted one.
q. E. Erickson, Kidder county
pointed out that other corporations
are permitted to issue refunds and
asked why not the railroads. HI
charged that the present majority
which was the minority at the last
session, had attempted at that tims
to amend the law to permit fret
passes for real estate agents.
Twichell denied the charge ant
Nonpartisan who~claimed to be pro
The railroads get something fol
everything thay give away, h1 said
and alleged that q demand for re
peal of the full-crew bill would hav,
been made at this session had rail
roads been permitted to issue passes
> The railroads would have expected
that legislators to whom they CAV,
passes would at least be friendly, b,
said.
p. r. Trubshaw, Barnes county, VIII,
supported the amended bill Thursday
said he had accepted the amended
bill as = joke and had been willing
to 70 along, but it had developed in
to serious matter. It's passage, hi
said, would create in the minds O
the people serious doubts az to tn
integrity Of the legislature In deal
ing with railroad legislation. H
said he did not wish to be unde
obligations to any railroad or to sci
This vote for q pass.
4 George Aljets. Wells county
charged tn8t the DILL n0Q Deen SpOn
sored by the Independent majorit,
and that the Nonpartisans were will
ing to help them either kill it o
i pass it. A few in each faction sup
I ported the hill as amended.
WAS Vote With Nonpartisans
Action on the workmen's conipen
sation bureau was taken in the com
n,ittee Of the whole after shar]
fight in which few Independent
lined up with the Nonpartisans t
defeat the committee amendments
which would reduce the maximum
death and permanent total disdbilit
benefits to $12,500.
Opposing adoption Of the-commit
tee amendment, r. +. Swendseid
TMountrail county, pointed out tha
the law had been enacted for tn
benefit Of employees and contende
that it should be lA1t unchanged
Reduction Of the total benefit per
(condausd on paes thrssl