The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-13

~ &, n Governnsont 3lnsur1nco.e 4, = ?
In Germany every Worldng1nan and
woman is insured, except those who
earn in excess Of $500 year and every
part Of ones, anatomy is measured off
In dollars and cents. Each one is as
sured of doctors services! 20 to SO
cents a day for living expenses, .medi-
cine and such apparatus, when needed,
as tre1sses, spectacles, etc. Women
when confined receive insurance money
for six weeks. The workers family
also receive free treatment. There are
also other benefits.
This fund is raised from a tax on
wages In part, and In part from di-
rect assessment on employers, the
workers paying from 80 cents to IS
cents a month and. the employers a
less sum. The pension is very modest,
varying with the wages earned, but
serve to remove some Of the fear Of
old age common with working people
OF the better class.
This insurance law is a Bismarck
idea, he advocated it In the expectation
that it would satisfy workingmen and
prevent the spread OF socialism It
was at first looked upon with suspic-
ion, but the workingmen now favor it
and demand it's extension.
Before the law: was passed, a doc
tor was seldom called to treat a work
ingmar or one OF his family until past
hope: today physician is demanded
Immediately, and the result is ma
terial decrease in the death rate.
German Trade Unions.
I am told that in the German trade
unions proper about 100000 members
are represented. am also told that,
taking the socialist societies into ac-
count; it can be said that the MEM
bership Of organized workingmen ag-
gregates 100000. There is such a
close relation between most Of the
trade unions and the social demo-
tractlc political organizations that it is
impossible to differentiate them with
any accuracy. 1t may be set down as
a rule that a member Of a trade union
Is a socialist, though 1t must also be
kept in mind that the immediate de-
mands of socialists in Germany-and
it is on these immediate demands tina,
the voting strength Of the party rests
vary very little from the demands OF
trade union men in the United States
who are opposed to the ultimate de-
mands Of the socialist party.
Wages are Low.
It Is a remarkable fact that in pro-
portion as the workers Of European
country are protected by tariff rates
the wages are low. It is rule that
the freer is trade, the higher are
wages. Germany's tariffs are com
paratively high, but the best paid trade
AS we'll as best organfzed-that OF
the printers indicates a weekly wage
OF from $3.50 to 50 a week. Weaver.
work for from 40 to rs cents a day
while with women not a few earn less
than Is cents day. This, taken IL
connection with the long hours, is {
sufficient excuse for the lack Of vigol
in the movements about all the wage.
workers with whom came in contact
The German worker is unable tt
work as rapidly as the average Am
erican-not even as fast as the Ger
man-American worker. His food, hi.
drink, his hours and his environments
are against him. IT the British work
| er drinks too much: ale and the French
worker too much MI 81 Htheh the Ger
man ifnbibess too. much heir. a II ma!
may make him sportly-look1ng abou
the waist-but Of what good is portli
ness in a working1nan yet it mos
certainly makes him sluggish. an<
tired. '-~' .G*:S :