Evening star., 1928-03-22
SEEK COMPROMISE
ON WORKERS ACT
Employers and Employees
Outline Stand on Com
pensation Measures.

| Although an agreement between the
I groups representing employers and en-
| ployes on the subject Of a Workmens
compensation law for the District was
not finally reached at a hearing before
| the Joint Senate and House subcommit-
| tee, today the meeting adjourned with
indications that the problem may be
given further consideration by the
members from the two branches OF
Congress.
The meeting today revolved chiefly
around the question Of whether the
/ longshoremens compensation law could
/ be .applied to the District of Columbia
aS q compromise measure between the
groups that have advocated different
compensation plans for period of seven
years.
Spokesmen for both the employers
and the employees groups reiterated at
/ the hearing today that there is no dis
agreement as to the need for compen-
sation law for Washington, but each
group again declared itself in favor of
the bill it had supported at previous
/ sessions. The employers, the Subcom-
mittee was told today, still believe the
Bruce Underhill bill is fair and should
be enacted. The bill would place ad-
ministration of the law under the local
| insurance department and permit the
employer to place his compensation in
surance with private companies: Rep
resentatives of the workers told the
subcommittee they still believe in the
Capper- Fitzgerald bill, which would
place administration under the United
States Employees Compensation Commits
sion and set up a Government fund into
which the employer would pay the pre-
MUM to cover the compensation in
/ surance.
After each group hod reiterated It's
/ Endorsement OF the Particular bill 1t
| has supported in the past they turned
to a discussion of the compromise bill
of Senator Blaine, Republican Of Wis
consin, to apply the longshoremen's act
| to Washington.
Regarded as Compromise.
This would mean administration by
! the United States Employees Compensa-
! ton Commission, but would permit the
employer to place his insurance with
private companies.
| w. w Everett. heading the group
! from the various trade and business
/ organizations, said they are unanimous
/ for the Bruce Underhill bill. He said
/ they do not regard it as an employers
/ bill but as a compromise because 1t has
been changed a number of times dur
ing the years 1t has been before Con-
gress and because it is more liberal
/ than the Maryland or Virginia law,
Frank L. Coleman, secretary of the Cen
trail Labor Union and spokesman for the
employees group, said they still contend
for the Fitzgerald bill. but declare that
| If there is a chance or obtaining eeis-
lation at this session the union wouId
waive the monopolistic Government IN
the Blaine bill
Want Three Judges.
John B. Andrews. secretary Of the
American Association for Labor LegiS-
lation, in supporting Mr.. Coleman
| argued in favor of administration OF
the law by the United States Compen-
sation Commission on the grounos that
1t would mean three judges passing on
the claims instead OF one, as would be
the case If the law we're administered
by deputy superintendent in the DIS
| trict Insurance Department
In closing the discussion on behaif
of his bill Representative Underhtll OF
Massachusetts declared tft throughout
the seven years the question has been
before Congress a disposition has been
consistent in arguing that the Govern
ment should not so into business.
together" said Mr.. Underhill. Per-
haps we could suggest local commits
sion of three judges to administer the
! law Perhaps we could arrange that
the Federal Commission would fix the
rates high enough TO cover the ever
head II you can eliminate the Gov
ernment from this line of business am
for 1t. The only objection to the COM
promise is that the Government would
be saddled with an additional expense
| of administration.
! Mr.. Underhill previously had pointed
out that the Blaine bill to make the
longshoreman's act applicable here still
| leaves administration of the question
under the Government. and said that
the longshoreman's act has cost to the
| Government $330.0o0 since its adoption
| He said the local application of that
! law would add to the Governments
cost Of administration,
Insurance Man Offers Plan.
Another suggestion of possible COM
promise came from p. T. Sherman,
casualty insurance man, who suggested
that if it is desired to apply the long
shoremen's plan to Washington II
should be done by writing the principles
of that law into separate bill for
! the District rather than TO apply the
/ longshoreman' act as whole to the
District, He said that IN this way the
| longshoremen'S plan in the District
could be amended when II Is found
SSary without affecting the long
| sh0remen's law for the country
Mai Gen. Anton Stephan Merchants
and Manufacturers Association, and
Walter Balderson Of the Washington
Chamber Of Commerce advocated the
administration Of the law by District
authorities on the ground that the
people OF Washington should be al
lowed to retain what home rule they
possess.
e. S. Brashears of the Insurance Club
Of the District also urged local control
of the administration of the law. point
ing out that changes might become
necessary In the longshoreman'S act
that would not be applicable TO condi-
tions in Washington.
! Thomas nj. Baldwin, District super
| intendent Of insurance, inquired what
| the attitude OF the labor men would be
| If the Bruce ~Underhill bin became law
and the labor group was permitted To
| pick out the deputy superintendent TO
administer it. Mr.. Andrews replied that
he was contending for the principal of
| having several judicial minds to admin
| lister the law as in the case OF com
| pensation commission rather than
| deputy Fred s. Walker secretary OF
| the Typographical Union also took part
| In the discussion
The hearing adjourned subject to the
call of Senator Blaine, chairman OF the
| joint subcommittee,
!
[