The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-11-10
WoRKINoMEN's INSURANCE
Progress Made in Germany in This
Line-Vast System Has
Been Built Up.

Stale INSURANCE III NclAaAs Aeo - = /
comparatively short time attained pro
portions that are hardly suspected by
people of other countries. IL is no long !
er 10 be regarded as experimental.
The London Times in a careful series
of articles describing German Industrial
conditions, which is being reprinted BY
our state department in its consular re-
ports, says that it is impossible to coaot
that the general well-bsing Of the work
ing classes is in large measure due 10
state insurance.
For 20 years Germany has tried gen.
eral compulsory insurance oil worKmen
against illness. Different branches OF
industry-mines, manufactures. build
ing trades and hand trades-have their
own insurance funds, and there are also
the old registered societies. Then, to
cover the remaining Industrial popula-
ton, there are general public funds es-
tabllshed for the separate localities,
grouped In districts, and If these are IN
adequate the local corporation itself
becomes the insurance office.
The rate Of contributions depends on
the rate of earnings II varies from ?
to 3 per cent. of the average earnings
OF each class OF workmen, but In the
case OF the corporations 1t Is from lh
to per cent. of the wage of the ordinary
day laborer. Two-thirds of the amount
| is payable by the person insured and
one-third by the employer, The benefit
is PAYABLE for not more than 10 weeks;
Il includes medical treatment, drugs,
etc, free. and sick pay beginning from
the third day of incapacitv or free treat
ment In the hospital with half pay for
the sick persons family.
The enormous total of HELM rendered
Is shown by the fact that in 1901 aid was
extended to 9,641 7i2 people FOR CCPOO,'
moo total days Of illness. The average
duration Of sick benefit was thus a
week. As many eases Of Illness Hns'
, have lasted a good deal LONGER, u wbuld
seem that even slight and brief ILLNESSES
are compensated for,
Accident insurance dates back' tC
about the same period as sickness In
surance, and both owe their inception tt
j, the initiative of Emperor William |
Under the new laws the burden Of prov
ing liability rests now on the injured
only In cases of Intentional injury o
for amounts exceeding the regular In
surance payment. There are specia
= provisions for prisoners and govern
ment officials. Industry" includes al
workmen and officials with salary no
exceeding ESQ (s73O) a year who ar
employed in specified industrial pur
suits.
There is no claim for compensate
when an accident is intentionally cause
by the injured person. Otherwise com
pensation Is payable so long as the In
iured Is unfit to work; in case OF CON
y plete incapacity the allowance Is two
u thirds of the previous earnings; In cas-
= of partial incapacity It is In proportio
to the impairment. In case Of death u
" compensation Is burial money of NJ
.. less than $12. otherwise one-ffteenth
~ the annual earnings and an allowance
&c the family, which varies according
re circumstances. from 20 to 60 per cent.
ie the annual earnings.
In 1901 of nearly 100000 persons Il
. sured $4,000 were injured and 49,
% killed. The compensation paid amour
~ ed to $16,337 900.
Cd The most recent form of industri
IN state insurance is that intended to r
y, lieve infirmity and old age. 1t appi
- compulsorily to all persons in recel
le of less than $4S7 a year Of wages al
~ voluntarily to those who receive wag
w from $4S7 to $3.50. Old-age insurance
- payable at 70, whether the recipient
Az infirm or not. In addition to these ma
W provisions payments are made und
IL certain conditions on the occasions
~. marriage, disabling accident and deaf
III The allowances are reckoned in n
I'd, .,,s.os roroiro from GOT IN SIG in I
ne case of old age and to $36 in the case
infirmity. The average in both class
ne is little above $50. The total paymen
al, - en- ,or;ous classes amounted
DIN 1901 to $25000,0 900.
ne In all. therefore sS5 500, 900 year W
". being expended three years ago in va
ou Gus forms of state or state-directed
fs' surance. The sum is probably cons
'er erably greater now, possibly near
u hundred million mark.