Evening star., 1928-06-17

Under the compensation law which
goes into effect July /. Only pri-
vete employers and employees Will be
affected by this new legislation, for the
workers of the District and Federal Gov
ernments have long since had compen-
sation legislation TO protect them. The
commission estimates that there are
10000 or more employers in the District
affected by the legislation and that
around $4,000 employees will fall within
the scope of the act.
The administration OF the District oi
Columbia Law will be supervised by q
woman-Mrs. Bessie Parker Bruegge-
man. chairman of the United States
Employees Compensation Commission.
Mrs. Brueggeman, the quiet, mild
hammered woman who presides over the
meetings OF the commission. and studies
problems relating to widows and chill
dren. whose breadwinners have been
struck down in the daily grind, is a
native of Charleston, Ill There she
was born on January 6. 1873. She was
educated at Hosmer Hall, ST. Louis, and
at the Bradford. Mass. Academy. She
has been twice married.
War and Political Activities.
The commission chairman took an
active part in World War relief. having
organized the Ambulance Division of
the st. Louis Red Cross ssnMotor Corps
and served first as lieutenant and later
as captain of the outfit She was elected
committeewoman from Missouri on
the Republican national committee in
1919, and was delegate at large from
Missouri to the Republican national
convention at Chicago in 1920. In 1920
she was member OF the executive
committee of the Republican State COM
mittee Of Missouri and also a member
OF the campaign advisory committee.
President Harding appointed her
Chairman of the commission on Noven-
Der i, 1921. for term OF six years. Mrs.
Brueggeman takes an active interest in
the affairs of Washington. She is
member of the Chamber of Commerce
end belongs to the Washington and
Women's City Clubs here and to the
wednesday and Town Clubs in St. Louis
and TO the Women's National Republi-
can Club and the Embassy In New York.
She Is Methodist and lives at 1901
Sixteenth street.
While Mrs. Brueggeman will have
the assistance Of deputy commissioner
OF the commission 70 directly admins
ter the Law in the District. the major
problems that viii arise under the new
legislation viii ccnie to her attention.
What Legislation Means.
What does the legislation mean to
the man in the street," II provides
that ali workers In private employment,
save those engaged in agriculture or
euinestic service or employed by certain
common carriers by railroad or as
masters of members of the crew of
vessels, viii be entitled to weekly bene-
hts. not exceeding s25 weekly-gen-
orally two-thirds of ones pay-while
disabled by any accidental injury aris-
ing out Of and in the course OF employ
tnent and that benefits in the case Of
death VIII be paid TO the widow. chill
nren and dependent relatives of Wash
ington workers. Under the act, the total
10 be paid in the case Of death benefits
VIII not exceed $500, including 5000
funeral expenses, when an empioye dies
from an injury received In the course
OF his employment. The insurance
companies which will Issue policies 10
the employers. who will paw the
premturnsl will pay all hospital, medi-
ca and surgical expenses.
The new bill Is compromise be-
tween the measures Of Representatives
UnderaiT Republican. of Massachu-
sets and Roy @. Fitzgerald, Republican
OF Ohio. Senator Blaine. Republican. of
Wisconsin, is credited with having the
compromise adopted. The law Is based
on the longshorenen's compensation
act which Is also being administered
by the United States Employees Com
pensstion Commission. end which went
into effect on July ], last year. having
been approved March 4. 1927. The
longs1oremen's art ss based on the
New York law. The District con1pen-
Eats9n measure wss approved By Presi-
cent Coolidge on Nav II. this year. so
that employers and the insurance
companies have had but short time I'm
which 70 get ready for f. The CON-
fatGsion has made ARRANGEMENTS for
regulations and approved insurance
companies to operate under the law.
No Excuses 10 BE Accepted.
EMPLOYERS sf1o fafl 10 insure their
workers by july lay themselves open to
be foaSnd guilty NJ a rnisdemeanor and
De liable 10 fine Of not more than
81 900 or imprisonment for not more
than one year. or both. in the diScre-
ton Of the court. The commission In
> sists that the law accepts no excuses"
end advises employers 10 secure insur-
snce by June IS.
An enpIoye and his dependents must
accept the rates Of compensation fixed
- the isw and cannot sue the employer
for Damages, an employer has secured
the payment Of compensation To his
ss+K%SE@Ns Ittl8Is3loEBJtk DJiI4Lt Dli
II. however, tiIe employer has not COM
piled with the Jaw, the empIoye can
eject 10 collect the compensstlNn from
the employer or 70 sue for dass ages I'm
court. the commission explains and the
employer cannot defend on the ground
OF negligence Of the worker or a fellow
servant. or that the employe assumed
the risk.
The Law requires tina. notices be post
60 tn plah1z Of business and the COM
nlissson H arranging 10 have these no.
fsces R1Ten " the employers.
Firms May Pay Directly.
Concerns that are financially strong
and employ number Of workers may
pay directly instead u taking an insJr-
snce policy. II the United States I'm
psoyes Compensation Commission grants
them the privilege and secures a satis-
fscsofy guarantee under the rules A.
selfrtsasukeF makes all payments that
80 insurance 1byai,any would make un~
Ger sglscy of insurance and ih0se
wishing 20 b. considered for the ur1yi.
teze ef SeIf~1nsUfs1lee slln4fl6 4oDly In IL
Tor the perBlission, the commission SAYS
f1f importance ~ employers II the IN.
formation tbst tFN4e having 4 worry
mems liability fryliey for each y1rker
my nave tp%s* policies gqace z1gd un~
6tr fne law by having sn ind0rsemens
eEbToTs1 oy the commission. ssisened
~ sach polic2. Tf3ose euploying me
nF more worNsre be they DygtblsGks oy
bsnksrG~zYe subject " tne lzy sac
oply u tiie Torkef be enployed IN sgri-
culture domestic kerybA. by reYfs IN
cotanaon carriers DY ra.ifesd ~ as mas.
tsf oF member " the crew NJ any vessel
The united stsjee EsnDl0yes' Com >
pefas$tbpb C"nblisek9r for the past sey.
efsg GAys mas been hsfnn4rlt,Ig s~sD
urging employers " ogtaln q policy ~
INSURANCE IRON IN insurance fxgfotJs g1y
lla2l is All lsanr.zAn -. -.