Legislation and Safety Un doubtedly a large proportion of industrial acci dents are preventable, if the employer be com pelled to make the protection of workmen rather than enormous production his first inter est. If accidents constituted a heavy and de terminable cost to the business, the employer would quickly realize that the prevention of accidents was to his economic interest. Safe but slower methods of production may result in reduced profits, but the welfare of the com munity demands that the human waste that is a direct result of the dangerous quicker ways be compensated for by a greater reduction in profits. In the Army and Navy Appropriation bill passed 4 March 1915, Congress inserted a provision prohibiting the employment of the "speeding up° system in government plants. The motive for prevention of accidents can never be compelling until a uniforfn and un escapable penalty be established for each injury or death. Many of the States have enacted laws for the prevention of work-accidents and diseases, and for the collection of reliable in formation concerning their nature and extent. Most of the States and Territories have also passed laws compelling the payment of various sums of money by employers for personal in juries to employees causing death or disability for more than two weeks, arising out of and in course of employment, not due to the em ployee's wilful intention to injure himself or another or to his intoxication. The industries covered, the injuries and persons compensated, and the rates of compensation differ in the various States. Among the laws are the fol lowing, with the dates of enactment and amend ment: Alaska: 9 April x915; in effect a8 July 1915.
Arizona: 8 June 1912; in effect x Sept. 1913; new act 23 May 1913; in effect i Oct. x9x3.
California: 8 April 19i1; in effect t Sept. 1911; new act 13 May 1913; in effect z Jan. 1914; amended 1915 Canal Zone; 24 Aug. 1912; executive order 26 Feb. in effect 1 March 1913 (suspended); new order 20 March 1914; in effect 1 April 1914.
Colorado: To April tors; in effect z Aug. 1915. Connecticut: 29 May 1913; in effect I Jan. 1914; amended / 28 April lots; in effect z July x915.
Illinois: 10 June 1911; in effect 1 May 1912; new set 28 June i9x3; in effect z July 1913; amended 28 June 1915. Indiana: 8 March rots; in effect t Sept. 1915.
Iowa: 18 April 1913; in effect (a) establishing Industrial commission and providing for insurance of employees.
4 July 1913; (b) compensation features x July 1914. Kansas: 14 March 19r1; In effect I Jan. 1912; amended ro March 1913.
Kentucky: 23 March 1ez6; in effect 1 Aug. x916.
Louisiana: i8 une 1914; in effect Jan. 1915.
Maine: z April in effect 1 Jan. 1916.
Maryland: i6 April x9x4; in effect 1 Nov. Massachusetts: 28 July Ka ; in effect July 191o; amended 1914. 1915.
Michigan: 20 March 1912; in effect I Sept. 1912; amended 1913, 1915.
Minnesota: 24 April 1913; in effect x Oct. 1913; amended 1915.
Montana: 8 March i915; in effect 1 July 1915.
Nebraska: 21 April 1913; in effect 17 July 1913.
Nevada: is March 1913; in effect I July 1913; amended 1915.
New Hampshire: 15 April loll; in effect 1 Jan. 1912.
New Jersey: 4 April roil; in effect x July mu; amended 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915.
New York: 16 Dec. x913; in effect I July 1914; amended 1914. 1915, Iwo.
Ohio: r5 June 1911; in effect 1 Jan. 1912; amended 1913.
1914, 1915.
Oklahoma: 22 March los; in effect z Sept. 1915.
Oregon: 25 Feb. 1913; in effect 3o June 1914; amended 19U Pennsylvania: 2 June 19r5i in effect tJan. 19z6.
Porto Rico: x3 April 1916; in effect i July 1916.
Rhoda Island: 29 April 1912; in effect x Oct. tons; amended 1915..
Texas: 16 April 1913; in effect I Sept. 1913.
Vermont: 1 April 1915; in effect x July rex& Washington: 14 March itur x; in effect I Oct. ittx x; amended 1913. 1915.
West Virginia: 11 Feb. x913; in effect I Oct. 1913; amended 1915.
Wisconsin: 3 May 1911; in effect same date; amended 1913, 1915.
Wyoming: 27 Feb. 1925; in effect i April 19'5.
United States: 3o May 19o8; in effect x Aug. i9o8; amended 24 Feb. 19°9, 4 March 1911. March, a7 July and 24 Aug. 1912. (Does not include private employment). _ New act 7 Sept. 1916; in effect same date.
Most of the laws are enforced through factory inspection, but in many States this inspection is so lax and inadequate that the laws are practically ineffectual. In 1911 Wis consin created an agency for administrative legislation as to details in safety provisions, resembling the systems in many foreign countries. The law requires the employer to take every reasonable precaution against risk and the industrial commission decides what safety devices the employer shall install in order that his factory may be as nearly free from accidents as possible. The commission is expected to inform itself of the latest and most improved safety devices and so far as may be practicable to secure their adoption by em ployers. The success of this law induced Massachusetts and New York in 1413 to pro vide for similar tribunals. In 1915 Nevada created an industrial commission for the ad ministration of the Workmen's Compensation Act and provided that one of the commissioners should hold the office of labor commissioner for the enforcement of labor laws. In 1915 New York consolidated the workmen's com pensation commission and the labor department under an industrial commissioner, the act being in accord with laws in Wisconsin, Ohio and a few other States which have created industrial commissions with powers similar to those exer cised by public utility commissions.
Almost all States have enacted laws requir. ing dangerous machinery to be fenced about, and that every possible means be adopted to protect employees. In 1915 Connecticut and Massachusetts passed laws requiring first aid rooms or emergency kits in all manufacturing establishments where machinery is used. De tailed provisions regulating heating, lighting and ventilating factories and guarding ma chinery therein were passed in Illinois in 1915, and Missouri in the same year provided for similar regulations in coal and zinc mines. Many cities too have enacted laws with the same object in view. . New York city has passed ordinances to prevent unnecessary and reckless less of life by compelling employers to furnish proper and safe scaffolding, to be more careful in employing men who work in caissons, to institute proper safeguards in the operation of elevators and to enforce the fire prevention law more strictly. The police forces of the various cities are compelling a more strict observance of the traffic regulations with the result that street accidents are being reduced to a minimum.