1768                                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                           [Ch. 488

the payment of the compensation specified in this article
to his employees and their dependents through one of the
methods of assurance of payment, mentioned in the second
paragraph of this section, or fails to furnish
satisfactory proof to the Commission of his financial
ability to pay such compensation himself, or give bond or
deposit securities as aforesaid, shall at any time after
November 1st, nineteen hundred and fourteen, be compelled
by the Commission to insure to his employees and their
dependents the payment of the compensation specified in
this article, by paying to the State Treasurer for the
use and benefit of the State Accident Fund, hereinafter
authorized to be established, the premium or taxes levied
and published by the State Accident Fund for the group of
employments, industries or works to which said employer
belongs. And any such employer who fails or refuses to
so insure within ten days, after being ordered by the
Commission to do so, shall be liable to the State in an
amount equal to the premium or taxes required of him for
six months1 insurance in the State Accident Fund, as a
penalty, which, together with his premium or tax due the
State Accident Fund for the first six months, may be
collected by the Commission in the same manner and with
the same effect as provided in § 77 of this article for
the collection of premiums or taxes in default.

(e)    In exercising the discretion conferred upon it
by this section and § 15 of this article, the Workmen's
Compensation Commission shall consider the reputation of
any insurance company or association, in which any such
employer may desire to insure, for promptness and
fairness in the settlement of compensation claims,
without unreasonable resistance on the party of any such
insurance company, or association, and shall also
consider the financial strength of the employer, the
number of employees employed, the degree of hazard to
employees engaged in the employment, the likelihood or
danger of several employees being injured or killed by
one and the same accident, the relative influence, the
different methods, by which compensation may be assured
under this article, are likely to exert upon the employer
and his employees for the prevention of accidents, and
any other facts or conditions bearing upon the security
and promptness of payment of the compensation and the
prevention of accidents.

(f)    Any employer who has deposited securities with
the Commission in accordance with the provisions of this
section and the requirements of the Commission, to secure
his liability to pay compensation to his employees, and
who thereafter ceases to be an employer subject to the
provisions of this article, or secures compensation to
his employees by insuring in the State Accident Fund, or
with a corporation or association authorized to transact