employees who return to work within the week. Second, no compensation for any injury the first week. Third, as all industries ought to bear the burden of their risks, and such burden being charged into cost of operation, the consumer in the final analysis will be the one who will have to pay the compensation; therefore, the workmen's compensation, if possible, should be uniform and apply to every State in the Union. Fourth, the present law of the State of Washington has not yet been passed upon by the Supreme Court as being constitutional, owing to the act being 'compulsory'; so employers may be still liable to an action for damages, the stutute of limitations being expressly inoperative during the period this law is in effect, if declared unconstitutional. The amount paid by the workmen's compensation act would be deducted from any damages allowed by the court. Fifth, although much in excess in cost comparative with the old method, we are in favor of the workmen's compensation act, providing the administration is justly handled and uniform laws enacted in all States of the Union." Brewing company, 100 employees, "On the whole, we think the Washington law is a great benefit to both employees and employers." Portland cement company, 140 employees, "The first-aid feature where hospital arrangement as we have it is not provided. We are well pleased with the law and its workings, as are also our employees."

WISCONSIN.

In the Wisconsin reports, about one-half the replies have no suggestions. In the opinion of several large employers, as well as small ones, the matter of proposed changes should be left to "time and experience." The point of injuries through negligence or intoxication is brought up repeatedly, and not relieving the employer of liability in such cases is deemed inequitable. The following give various views: Manufacturers of grain drills and feeders, 100 employees, "Law too new to determine effect. If our present law is enforced fairly by the commission, believe it will be beneficial and will accept it as soon as present policy expires." Lumber company, 200 employees, "Injured man should be required to file notice of demand for compensation within 20 days after accident. Slight injuries are sometimes overlooked and develop seriously later." Manufacturers of jute container box board, 140 employees, "Rulings are too complicated and varied. Average laboring man not able to familiarize himself with the conditions." Real estate and insurance, 4 employees, "Changes should eliminate office force from its operation. To our knowledge, no injury to an office employee was traced to any responsibility or neglect of his employer." Lumber and cooperage, 40 employees in Wisconsin, "As the law is intended for benefit of employees and employers, a change which would result more entirely in benefit to them, instead of in large part to insurance companies, would be desirable." Company logging forest products, 500 employees, "Chiefly one, i. e., that the employee contribute toward the cost of the compensation paid under the compensation act, as is done under the workmen's compensation law in force in Germany." Manufacturers of electric cranes, etc., 550 employees, "Nationalize, so that all competing concerns are on same basis." Manufacturers and dealers in lumber and timber, 300 employees,

"As employers we do not favor the law, as it requires closer attention, is more expensive, as the clerical work is much more, because of numerous reports, and we do not think it furnishes any better attention or service from the workmen." Paper manufacturers, 120 employees, "In our opinion, premiums should be paid to State treasurer and the Commonwealth be the insurance company. We are not Socialists either." Brewing company, "To have employee pay part of the premium. Tendency is that employee will loaf when receiving compensation and especially if he carries benefit insurance in some insurance company or society. Under our compensation law, employee may commit fraud unless same be physically examined before beginning employment; for instance, rupture.' Brewing company, 30 employees, "The law in this State as originally passed met my approval, but the danger lies in succeeding legislatures tinkering with it." Manufacturers of lumber, 300 employees, "We believe that every employee should receive the same consideration but, as our law reads, only those who work for companies employing more than four men receive compensation." Lumber, box factory, and planing mill, 50 employees, "The employers in this State should have some protection from the employee. As it is, there is none except go to Wisconsin commission and for petty claims we had better suffer." Company manufacturing lime and quarrying building stone, 25 employees, "We think the State ought to carry the insurance, which can be done at at least one-half the rate charged by insurance companies at the present time." Plumbing and heating contractors, 30 employees, "Make the acceptance compulsory." Box factory, planing mill, etc., 11 employees, "Would suggest that it be made so that liability insurance would not cost three times what it was before the compensation law." Brewing company, 250 employees, "We suggest that the time in which employees commence to draw compensation be extended from eight days to two weeks, and 50 per cent of wages allowed after that time, with the maximum wage of $10 per week and the minimum $6; and that the feature of intoxication, instead of reducing the computation of wage on a basis of from 65 to 50 per cent, be entirely abrogated." Lumber company, 400 to 1,500 employees, "Intoxication should be a defense; petty injuries should draw less compensation."

to

NO. 7A. STATISTICS.

CALIFORNIA.

MEMORANDUM ON THE CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT EXPERIENCE FOR THE FIRST 10 MONTHS OF 1913.

[Prepared for the National Civic Federation by the Industrial Accident Board of the State of California.]

To the compensation provisions of chapter 399, laws of 1911, commonly known as the Roseberry liability and compensation law, 1,109 employers of labor in the State of California have filed acceptance since the act went into effect September 1, 1911. The act applies to all employers who may elect to its provisions, and includes employers of agricultural laborers and domestic servants.

All employers of labor within the State of California, and all extra State employers of labor, the employees of whom operate within the State of California, are eligible to elect to the compensation provisions of the act.

The total number of employers eligible to such election is estimated at 45,954, and the number of workers employed is estimated at 809,056.

No method of carrying the risk is provided in the act, the employer being left free to carry the risk at his own option. There is no State insurance, nor State mutual, nor employers' mutuals.

By chapter 53, extra session laws of 1911, every employer of labor within the State of California, except those engaged in farming, dairying, agricultural or horticultural pursuits, in poultry raising, or domestic service, must report to the industrial accident board every personal injury suffered by its or his employees, arising out of or in the course of the employment, and resulting in death or in disability, extending over a period of a week or more.

The number of workers covered by this law is estimated at 498,917, there being no census of the workers yet taken.

To November 1, 1913, from January 1, 1913, there were reported to the Industrial Accident Board 9,519 accidents over which said board had official cognizance, distributed according to disability as follows:

Besides 10,196 accidents in which the disability was less than one week, or which occurred in the exempted employments.

In 7,489 of the 9,519 accidents the histories are complete. In 2,030 cases the histories are incomplete, the disability not having ended or the settlement not having been made.

The 7,489 accidents are distributed according to disability as follows:

The provisions of chapter 53, Extra Session Laws of 1911, provide that supplemental reports on accidents are due to the industrialaccident board upon termination of disability, or if disability extends over a period of 60 days on the sixtieth day, and again upon termination of disability.

It is also provided that all claims settled or payments made to or on behalf of injured workers must be reported when such payments are made.

These two provisions so operate that it is impossible to take a cross-sectional view of the completed history of all accidents, inasmuch as at any particular moment a large number of accident histories are incomplete.

No cases are tabulated until the histories thereof are completed, in order to safeguard the possible inclusion of accidents to which official cognizance of the industrial-accident board does not extend. It is reasonably certain that the averages of all incomplete accidents will follow the averages of the completed accidents, with the exception that the periods of disability will average greater and the settlements proportionately larger.

The number of fatal cases is 377. In 125 of these cases no dependents were left. In 212 cases dependents were left, pensions being given in 19 cases, the other settlements consisting of lump-sum payments.

The provision that settlements are to be made in death cases only to dependents operated in the 212 cases, there being 290 total dependents, and 24 partial dependents, or 314 dependents in all. Appended (Table No. 1) is a table showing the distribution of death dependents, according to relationship of the dependents. There are seven cases of permanent total incapacity.

The distribution of permanent injuries, according to organic or functional loss, constituting a permanent incapacitation is given in appended Table No. 2.

The average of permanent disability approximates 30 days in those cases where the employee ultimately returns to work, whether or not he engaged in the same occupational pursuit after as before the injury.

In those cases where he does not return, or in which injury is of sufficient extent to disable his working in his former pursuit, or any allied occupation, a percentage disability rating of 43.3 per cent is incurred.

The average for temporary injury with the distribution of temporary injuries by the weekly period of disability, together with the actual number of days lost by those temporarily incapacitated, is given in appended Table No. 11.

The total amount of compensation paid is ascertainable from the Tables Nos. 3, 4, and 5. These are as follows:

Table No. 3, showing the distribution of temporary injuries according to the indemnity paid to those employees under compensation,

and to those not under compensation, according as to whether the indemnity was paid by the employer where no liability or compensation insurance was carried by the employer, where such liability or compensation insurance was carried, and by the casualty company covering the liability or compensation risk of the employers. Table No. 4, showing the distribution of permanent injuries according to the indemnity paid to those employees under compensation, and to those not under compensation, according as to whether the indemnity was paid by the employer where no liability or compensation insurance was carried by the employer, where such liability or compensation insurance was carried, and by the casualty company covering the liability or compensation risk of the employers.

Table No. 5, showing the distribution of death disabilities, according to the indemnity paid on behalf of those employees under compensation, and on behalf of those not under compensation, according as to whether the indemnity was paid by the employer where no liability or compensation insurance was carried by the employer, where such liability or compensation insurance was carried, and by the casualty company covering the liability or compensation risk of the employers.

The average weekly wage for all employees is $18.62; their average age is 33.96 years.

Workers to the number of 2,444 received $20 and over per week, there being 208 workers who received an hourly wage and whose employment was not continuous. In 73 instances the weekly wage was not specified.

A complete distribution of the number of workers injured, according to their weekly wage, distributed by $10 periods, appears as Table No. 6.

Appended are the following distributions:

1. Marital condition and nativity, Table No. 7. 2. Cause of injuries, Table No. 8.

3. Nature of temporary injuries, Table No. 9.

4. Industry groups, Table No. 10.

The organization of the statistical department is statistician, investigator, chief clerk, index clerk, stenographer to the statistician, and stenographer to the department.

The statistician is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the board. All other employees of the department come under the California Civil Service Commission.

The introduction of the Boynton Act will materially affect the statistical department by increasing the scope of its operations, inasmuch as according to the rules and regulations of the industrial accident commission, effective January 1, 1914, all accidents causing disability lasting through the day of injury or involving expenditure for medical aid will be reported.

The necessity under the present law of investigating a great many accidents the disabilities of which are less than one week, or which occur within the exempted industry classes, in order ultimately to include all accidents to which the official cognizance of the board extends greatly intensifies the activity of the department, so that the totals submitted do not adequately represent the work done.

To December 1, 1913, 21,854 accidents were reported, of which 10,521 will ultimately reach tabulation.