The Fight Over Washington’s Workmen's Compensation
Commissioner John R. Wallace lashes out at 'journalistic highbinders' and insurance companies attempting to discredit the state's new injury insurance laws.
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John R. Wallace, labor member of the Industrial Insurance Commission, declared that casualty companies are attacking the new Workmen's Compensation Act to protect their own profits. Wallace specifically targeted the Wood & Reber advertising agency, calling them 'journalistic highbinders' paid by the American Casualty Company to circulate misleading bulletins. He defended the state's decision to pursue settlement with the DuPont Powder Company and other firms, noting that the state has already secured significant legal advantages. Wallace insisted the compensation fund, which has collected half a million dollars for injured workers and widows, is under siege by 'vampires' who previously profited from dangerous industrial conditions.
“It is easier to separate a bull pup from a rubber boot than it is to separate a grafter from the throat of an infant industry.”
This 1912 controversy over the state’s role in worker safety reflects a century-long tug-of-war between private insurance interests and public protections in Washington industry.
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