The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-01-04
Should Bon The
(Continued From PAGE Onel

JureO workers SZlI, ,l4o,SLS, approx
mately 941a cents of every premium
dollar went to injured workers.
Employers Gypped
'1n this same connection here are
few figures from private insurance
States:
"1n 1937-Indiana employers paid
$25S for every 81 in benefits.
"In 1936-Connecticut employers
paid $3.50 for every 81 in benefits.
"In 1937-Missouri paid $195 for
every 81 in benefits.
"In 1936-37-Alabama employers
paid $2.34 for every 81 in benefits.
"In 1937-Minnesota employers paid
1892 for every 81 in benefits.
False Propaganda Spread Against
Blanket Coverage
"Year after year when workers pc
tition for the adoption Of more lib
eral workmen's compensation laws,
employers have been scared by the
warning often repeated your pre-
MUM rates will be confiscatory.' This
has been particularly true with ref
erence to occupational disease cover
age. The employers have been told
over and over that general or blanket
coverage would bring in mumps and
measles! This has all been done de-
spite the fact that the record speaks
for itself.
Lets take the State Of Wisconsin
for example. That State has the
broadest possible blanket coverage.
The law says Injury is mental or
physical harm to an employe caused
by accident or disease Yet under that
provision, only 90 per cent of all the
compensated cases in 1888 were oc-
cupational disease cases, and they
represented about the same percent
age of the cost of all cases. lnciden-
tally, Of the total Of 652 occupational
disease cases for that year, 263, or
40 per cent, came from these three
groups: Public Employments with
III; Foods and Beverages with 80;
and Service Industries with 70. Two
hundred and ninety-one Of these 652
cases, or 44R per cent, were derma-
tits cases-skin diseases that are not
confined to and not characteristic of
or peculiar to any industry or occu-
patton.
ain Illinois, another gneral cover
age State for 1886, 8 (eight-tenths
Of one per cent) and for 1887 1.3 per
cent Zone and three-tenths per cent?
were occupational disease and indus
trial poisoning cases.
workers and employers organiza-
tions agree that workmen's compen-
sation laws were enacted so that in
jured workers would be compensated
at the time most needed without hav-
ing to go to court. Workers under
stood that the employer was insur-
ing his business against injury much
as he insured against fire.
owe thought the costs would be-
come production costs and payment
of compensation would be definite and
certain. We didn't know that the sys-
tenn we were building would allow the
collection of millions of dollars from
employers with such small percent
age Of the dollar going to the work
er who was injured and disabled.
"Under every one of the Al State
Workmen's Compensation Laws (no
law in Mississippi) the injured worker
faces different conditions and terms,
different methods Of handling funds
and claims, and differences in the ad-
ministration of the law, and in many
of the States no preventative meas
ures at all.
"The American Federation of La
Dor is opposed to this system. If the
conservative estimate as to the num-
ber Of individuals exposed to harm
full quantities of silica dust may be
set at 100000 the problem directly or
indirectly affects all of them and
their families, or a total of nearly
100000 people in the United States.
In our opinion it is sheer folly to
continue this crazy system, and ig-
more the necessity of constructive and
long range action with prevention as
the first step.
"If employer and workers agree
that the laws were enacted to meet
the cost of industrial injuries fairly,
why should compensation for occu-
pational diseases be limited to work
ers who are incapacitated by certain
poisons like lead or silica as it is in
many States?
"Why should workers who suffer
from other occupational diseases be
compelled to bring suit under the
common law Of employers liability?
There should be only one fair test
and that test should be-did the
worker receive the injury during the
course Of his employment?
"In the private insurance States the
cash benefits which the injured work
er and his family receive amount to
between 35 and as cents out of every
premium dollar the employer pays.
The medical costs average about Is
cents of the premium dollar. So it
takes an average of between 40 and