The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-02
eERMANY's LABOR PENSIONS.

4 \ ESTEEMED CORRESPONDENT
4 Of The Herald wants TO know
something about the system of COM
puisory insurance which is in effect in
Germany. The system has been in OF
Grafton for a number Of years and its
workings have been satisfactory in
every respect. Theinsuranee is divided
into three classes. namely, against
sickness, against accident and against
old age and invalidity. The oompul-
sorry feature Of the law applies in all
cases to persons who do not earn more
than S1.59 per day. but individuals who
draw higher wages may avail them
selves OF it If they choose.
Those who are required 10 be insured
against sickness are persons employed
in mines, salt works. factories, build
ing operations, quaTries, mechanical
trades, establishments where steam and
other motors are liz constant use, post
ana telegraph offices. lawyers clerks
and recorders and others whose wages
are within the prescribed limit. In ac-
cident Insurance those who must be
protected cover the occupations given
above and add employees on wharves
and in smelling establishments. All
employees who do not earn more than
S476 a year, no matter where employed.
or how. If they are over the age Of Is
years, must insure against old age and
invalidity
BY the uniformed it may seem that
this rigid system Of compulsory insur-
ance imposes a needless burden on
many working people, but it is said
that very little complaint is made in
Germany about IT, But the burden is
distributed in such a way that no real
. hardship is experienced by anyone,
while the certainty Of a stated income
IN sickness, disability and old age
more than compensates the worker for
the small outlay. In describing the
distribution an expert says:
The funds for the purpose of the
law providing for compulsory insurance
against old age and inyaHdity are con-
tri6uted % by the empire; q by the
employer, and 90 by the insured per-
son. The empire pays $3.50 yearly TO
each pensioner. The other contribu-
tions are paid By the employer and
employed in equal shares. The contrf-
buttons must be paid for a certain
time before the insured person acquires
the right 10 a pension. In case Of in
ability pensions, contributions for five
years are necessary In the case of old
age pensions there must be thirty
years Of contribution. A years con-
tribution means payments through only
forty-seven Of the dfty-two weeks,
thus allowing five weeks of margin for
enforced idleness without means OF
paying the contribution. The pension
for disability does not mean total dis
ability; it means a condition in which
one cannot earn a third OF his previous
gains. The insured persons are divided
into four wage classes, according to the
annual income. The old age pension
ranges from S25.42 to 1856. according
to the class in which the insured. per-
son is placed.
That this system Of compulsory IN
surance IS socia}istic in character there
is no doubt whatever. In fact. it had
its inspiration in s9ciaiistic agitation.
Il was q socialist who conceived and
who elaborated the idea. The whole
system rests upon a conception Of So
ciety which is opposed TO that grouped
under the head Of "individualism.
This may or may not be an objection
TO the establishment Of governmental
insurance Of like character in this
country