The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-02-01
wilson GIVES
LETTER DATA
Explains Much Discussed
Letter Cost the State
81 Cents
By J. c. BASKERVlLL
The Times News Bureau
Sir Walter Hotel

RALEIGH, Feb. 1.-The letter
mailed out last week by Commits
sioner T. A. Wilson of the Indus
trial Commission and which caus-
ed the passage of a resolution in
the house calling upon him to eX,
plain the cost of the letter and
all details about it, cost the Indus
trial Commission only "a cents,
according to the sworn statement
submitted this morning in reply to
the resolution. The statement was
presented to the senate commit
tee on Propositions and Grievanc-
es. to which the resolution was re-
ferred after having been passed by
the house. The postage for the
letter, amounting to $3.50, was
paid out of special fund donated
by interested employers in the
state, and not out of commission
funds, Wilson declared.
The resolution calling upon
Commissioner Wilson for informa.
ton about this letter, which was
sent to employers over the state
telling of the bills that had been
introduced aimed at the abolition
of the Industrial Commission, was
introduced by Representative Tay-
lor of Mecklenburg. 1t is credit
ed with bringing out into the open
the fight that has been going on
under the surface for several
weeks to abolish the Industrial
| Commission. In the rather heat
ed discussion Of the resolution in
the house, Representative Taylor
stated that he had run for the
Legislature on a platform pledged
| to do all he could to abolish the
commission and that he was de-
termined to do that very thing if
| he could. 1t has been we'll known
for some time that several groups
of doctors and lawyers III the state
have been active in an effort to
abolish the commission, because
they have felt it has been ignor-
| ing their business.
The statement by Commissioner
Wilson read before the senate
committee states that the letter
was written and mailed by him on
his own responsibility as a men,
Der of the commission and that the
work was done by members of the
office staff after regular office
hours and without any remunera-
ton.
With regard to the cost Of the
letter, Wilson said:
"The expense incident to the
preparation and issuance of such
letter, in addition to postage, con-
sisted of the following: Letter.
heads, % cents; mimeotype stem
Gil, Is cents; mimeograph ink,
nothing; stencils for stamping re-
turn envelopes, cents; making a
total of 81 cents which was paid
for out of the expense account of
| the Industrial Commission. The
postage in connection with the
mailing of said letter amounted to
$500 which was paid for out of
the special fund donated by inter-
ested employers of the state. This
fund was created and is used for
the promotion of educational and
safety work incident to the admin
istration of the Workmen's Com
lpensation Act and for the general
improvement and enhancement of
its administration.
"The stationery on which the
letter was sent out was used upon
my own authority and its use for
this purpose was deemed to be en-
tirely proper.
"My object in mailing this let
ter was to. acquaint individuals
and concerns who have shown a.
great interest in the Workers
Compensation Act with the fact
that bills had been introduced to
repeal the Workmen's. Compensa-
ton Act and to give them an op-
portunity and to invite them,
through petition and otherwise, to
make known to the legislature
! their position with respect to such
proposed measures.
"The letter was mailed with the
knowledge, consent and approval
of my co-commissiouers, Chairman
Matt H. Allen and Commissioner
J. Dewey Dorset.
"The letter was sent with the
knowledge of Senator Waynick.
My suggestion in the letter that
the petitions be sent to Senator
Waynick arose from the fact that
Senator Waynick is member of
the Senate Committee on Insur-
anna To mhich the hills in n,,ns4;