Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-09
LooklNa TO THE FUTURE
Mutual Aid Societies in the. Frelch
schsr!s. u
Children Encouraged to Habits Of
Economy - How the Government
Aids-renx:ons foE Oh Age.

John c. Covert, L. S. cans Ill at Lyons,
France. writes to the State, Department at
length regarding mutual aid societies for
French school children. He says:
great many mutual aid societies,
called petit-caves. from their founders,
Edouard Petit and ]. c. Cave. are now be-
ing organized among the school children
of France. They are established under a
law of 1856. amended and made more oper-
alive by law of 1855 Their object is to
anord assistance to their child members
during sickness and to furnish a pension
fund for old age. to be drawn upon when
hfty, tifty-five or sixty years old, accord
ing te the amount deposited or as the bene-
ficfary may elect. Tho maximum pension is
800 francs Cs69.4s).
The children deposit 10 eentines or 2
sous q cents) PEI week, which is divided
INTO two equal parts. 1 sou going to the
other to the pension fund. This money is
deposited In government depository,
where 1t is invested in government bonds
and draws By per cent interest.
Aided by Government.
'The especial feature of these societies
is the aid given them by the government
For every child who contributes during an
entire year the state adds / franc l19.3
cents) to the common fund. 1t also gives a
sum equal to one-fourth of the entire
amount deposited by the children.
The 1 sou deposited weekly which, goes
to the pension fund can never he recovered
except in the form of pension. If the
child dies before reaching the age limit, or
for any reason drops out of the list of de-
positors his sous go to the state. The
money derived from the reserve fund
passes to the next of kin in the event Of
the death Of the depositor.
Every school child is given a .livret,' or
bank book, upon the cover Of which IS
printed brief tabulated statement of the
pension rate that 1 frame will produce at
the age of fifty-five if deposited in child
hood. The table states that if / franc is
positor may draw "A centimes (about 1415
cents of our money! annually when he is
hfty-fve years of age, and that this sum
will be increased in proportion to the num-
Der Of francs deposited until it reaches the
limit Of 800 francs (s69.4S annually. The ia
BILE computes the interest on l franc de-
posted when from three to twelve years OF
age, running up to fifty-five years.
1.-The 1 sou deposited as reserve capital,
which swells the mutually fund for sick
ness, does not draw as high rate of in
terest as the pension fund. A franc depos-
tied at three years Of age will yield but II
sous 12 cents) pension at the age of fifty
five. But the depositor does not part with
his reserve capital. He can never possess
1t again, but II he should die before the
age to receive 1t. his next Of kin can take
l sou deposited weekly for the reserve
fund, and the depOsitor in the meantime
would receive the benefit of 1t during sick
ness. This capital is also swelled by ma
uonal and sometimes communal appropria-
tons, as well as by legacies and gifts from
other sources
There is a trust company in Lyons and
q number of other cities, called the Caisse
des Depots ct CONSIDERATIONS, under the i'm
mediate direction of the government in
which these mutual-aid funds are depos-
tied. and by whose officers they are in
vested IN government bonds and other Sc
curitles approved by the state. These
moneys are also loaned to public institu-
tions-such as hospitals, the government
pawn shop, etc.
Aim of the Societies,
The aims of the children's societies, as
set forth in circular addressed to all the
parents of pupils, briefly stated, are:
ITO aid parents by paying them an in
demnity, during the sickness Of their chill
dren, of 10 cents per day during the first,
and cents per day during the second and
third months of sickness
10 create annual pension funds from the
payment of monthly dues, government ap-
preparations and donations. which can be
enjoyed by all persons after a membership
of fifteen years.
ITO Undue all children at an early ago
with the clements of economy; to accustoIn
them to the use of a. bank book and to the
consciousness of having money at work
earning something for them and held in re-
serve for their old age.
ITO create and maintain a fund called
'tresor de ravenir' "a treasury for the fu-
ture,. the product Of which will be excIu-
sfvely used to provide means of industrial
education: to assist the depositors later in
life to become members of mutual-aid so
cfeties, and to aid them in establishing
themselves in business.
1.-THE society Is very rapidly spreading
throughout France. especially among the
working classes, who look upon it as fur
nishfng more substantial relief than the
savings banks. The latter are becoming
sorged with money. The limit for any one
depositor at present is 1000 francs $3.50;
but after August, 1900 it will be reduced
to 1900 $3.50.
There are other societies similar to
those herein described, but they are more
especially for men, They have recently
taken a very wide extension in France and
will he the sllbipct of n fltlIra reporf