FOREST LABOR 5 1 



and inspectors. Boycotts and strikes have in some instances 

 been conducted by these organizations but in general the in- 

 dustry has been free from disturbances due to organized labor. 

 An important feature of some of these unions is a hospital 

 benefit. 



During the years 1911-1912 sawmill employees and woods- 

 workers in Louisiana and Texas attempted to organize a union 

 known as the "Brotherhood of Timber Workers," in affihation 

 with the "Industrial Workers of the World." The movement 

 promoted by inflammatory leaders grew rapidly and during the 

 year 191 1 caused several of the largest mills in these states to 

 close for a time. The organization has not been a success. 



ORGANIZATION 



The usual division of responsibility in logging operations is 

 shown on pages 52 and 53. The first is that of a large opera- 

 tion in the yellow pine region of the South; the second, the 

 form common in the North. 



workmen's compensation acts 



For many years the responsibihty of compensating laborers 

 injured in the performance of their work was regulated by 

 Employers' Liability Laws. These held the employer liable for 

 accidents vv^hich occurred by reason of his failure to conform to 

 the laws. Lawsuits were frequent and usually proved expensive 

 to all concerned, often resulting on the one hand in a denial by 

 the courts of compensation to parties to whom it was due, and 

 on the other in granting heavy damages to those who were not 

 entitled to them. 



The employers protected their interest through liabiHty 

 insurance companies but a great waste of money resulted since 

 only from 29 to 50 per cent of the premiums paid reached the 

 injured employees or their dependents and fully 40 per cent of 

 this was expended by the injured party for attorneys' fees. 



Compensation through liability laws has tended to create an 

 antagonistic feeling between employer and employee and for 



