New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
T\ST-PANCE IGIJNST TULENESS


Germany has for some years maintained. with
q certain degree of success. Il State system OF
insurance. or perhaps rather of old age pen
sions for workngmen. The city of Cologne
now goes long step further on the same semi
Socialist road 1t has been observed for many
years that there Is always n scarcity of work
in winter. and consequently much enforced
idleness. and, finally. much distress among the
wage-earning classes Two years ago munic-
ipal labor exchange was established. 1t has
done some good but has by no means remedied
the whole evil For there is little use in hav-
ing men file applications far work when there
is no work to be done So there are still every
winter hundreds even thousands. OF industri-
Gus. deserving men out of work through no
fault Of their own. and they and their families
suffer serious distress. TO remedy this. or at
least to relieve TO some extent the actual dis
tress. there has been organized what may be
described as system Of insurance against
want of employment
In this work the city government has joined
together with private philanthropiSts. capital
lists and workingmen themselves The corpora
ton formed Is called The city Of Cologne In
"surance Society for the Unemployed in Win
ter" It's funds come from municipal appro-
priations. subscriptions Of members, fees of the
persons insured, and outright gifts Of the be-
nevolently disposed. Any resident of Cologne
may become member for 81 - year. or, II
n wage-earner. - cents. Members have voice
in the management but no benefit from the
insurance fund unless they also take ont poll
cies. which are issued to members and non
members OH exactly the same terms TO be-
come insured n manor woman-must be eigh'
Of r.,In
and sound in mind and body. The premium
on the policy Is cents week. The policy Ell
titles the holder. in case Of inability to get en-
ployment between December Ii and March 10,
TO n daily allowance from the insurance fund
for period not exceeding eight weeks But
no allowance will be made on policy that Is
not at least eight months Old nor during the
first five days Of persons ldleness. during
the next twenty days a single person VIII re-
ceive 81 cents n day and the head of n family
30 cents. and during the remainder OF the elgl'
weeks half those amounts. person claiming
the allowance will first be sent to the labor ok
change and only in case Of its failing to pro-
vide work for him will the allowance he paid
He forfeits his claim II. without good reason
he refuses offered employment: If he loses his
place through Illness or old age and has. c0nse
quently claim upon some other relief FUND
If he fails to pay his premums If he leaves
Cologne: or If II is shown that he was out OF
work when he took out the policy.
The association has been organized under
Government sanction. Its basis appears to b'
financially sound and its methods practicable
No doubt il will be the means of relieving much
distress. Perhaps 1t Will stimulate THRIFT al
least it is TO he hoped 1t will not discourage 1t
But il Is difficult 10 regard such scheme witt
entire satisfaction. or rather social system
under which such scheme IL necessary. The
better aim Is 10 have Industry 80 organized thai
there will he no considerable prevalence OF en-
| forced idleness and 10 have wage-earners 81
well remuneratcd and so given to habits of pru
dent thrift that they will be adequately self
| helpful in any time Of accidental want Of EN-
ploynent The men whom il Is proposed To al,
In Cologne are not paupers. They do not want
but would reject and resent. aims. YET under
this so-called Insurance system they can scarce
| Is fail To feel hnlf-pauperized. and tn suffer per
cepiibe loss VI Independence aud self.lcopect