of Governor Herbert R. O'Conor 391

recently signed law which provides greatly increased benefits as compensation
for the loss of, or loss of use of, an eye, a hand, an arm or & leg. Depending
upon the workman's average wage, the increase provided for the loss of, or less
of use of an eye, would range from $480. 00 to $1, 080. 00.

Furthermore, the number of weeks of compensation for loss of an eye is
increased from 100 to 160; for the loss of a hand, compensation can now be
drawn for 166 weeks, as against the previous maximum of 150; for the loss of
an arm, the compensation period has been increased from 200 to 212 weeks, and
the same maximum now obtains for the loss of a leg. Formerly, for this latter
loss, a period of only 175 weeks was permitted. All of these betterments in
the law were advocated by labor's representatives, and I was only too happy
to add my support, and that of the Administration, towards insuring their
passage.

Maryland provisions under this law for the loss of a leg are more liberal
than those in effect in 38 of the 47 states that have Workmen's Compensation
Acts. Of the 9 states which pay compensation for a longer period of weeks
than does Maryland, there is no additional allowance for the healing period
in 4 of these states. In the overall provisions, therefore, Maryland rates sixth
in the list of 48 states in this respect. For the loss of an eye, Maryland will
now pay compensation for a longer period than 43 of the 48 states.

Up to the passage of this law, if the workman's average weekly wage was
$27. 00, for the loss, or loss of use of an eye, he would receive $18. 00 a week for
100 weeks, a total of $1, 800. 00. With the law now on the books, this $1, 800. 00
would be increased to $2, 880. 00, well over a 50% gain. The increase in pay-
ments would not change that feature of the law which made the employer and
insurer liable for the payment of the injured worker's medical expenses up to
$500. 00.

Under the old law, as well as under the current law, the injured workman
would receive in addition to the above stated payments, compensation up to
$20. 00 weekly during the entire period of his temporary total disability, or
healing period, up to the maximum of $3, 750. 00 for the temporary total
disability.

Such provision for compensation for the healing period, in addition to the
scheduled payments for permanent partial disabilities, is not present in the
workman's compensation law in the 25 states.

Not the least of the new features by which the coverage of the Industrial
Accident measure was broadened, is that which provided that frost-bite and sun-
stroke, resulting from weather conditions, hereafter shall be regarded as
diseases or infections naturally resulting from accidental personal injuries,
and, therefore, compensable. Again, this, measure was initiated by organized
labor, but it had our full support, and until its final passage, was followed
closely by the Administration.

Of equal importance, almost, to any of the changes noted above, was the

Administration-sponsored measure, now a law, which effects a separation of

the State Accident Fund from the State Industrial Accident Commission. This

is a distinct advantage to workmen in that the thousands now employed by

'approximately 3, 000 employers who carry the compensation insurance in the