Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-14
Gets Cooperation of Masses
by Uniting Fraternal Or
ders and Mutual
Benefit Societies.
Special Correspondence of The Star.


PARIS, September l.
- X-PRESIDENT LOUBET has just
discovered noble occupation for
ex-presidents of the republic-and
IL an idea of genius for the protec-
ton of French childhood.
The republic is prejudiced against ex-
! presidents attempting politics, law or bust
ness Theirs only dared the frst-and did
himself no good. Macmahon was rich.
! Grevy had saved his salary. Carnot was
assassinated. Casimir- Perer was very
rich. Felix Faure died in office The re-
/ public had but Louhet therefore, to pro-
vide for when he went out. and he might
| have lived at ease as president of the rail-
way rates commission that yearly hears pc
titions and adjusts freight and passenger
rates for all railroads, state run or other
wise.
1t was not sufficient occupation for NJ.
Loubet.
Occupation for ex-presidents! Casimir-
PerIer had suggested an idea. He thought
that ex-presidents might protect the little
children of their land.
CaSimir-Perier gave great wealth and the
later years of his life to the Abatement
Maternel Ito make 1t possible for poor
mothers to nurse their babies in person., the
Anu-Food Adulteration and Anti-Tubercu-
loss associations, and to what was to be a
vast general hygiene organization uniting
many particular leagues.
This general organization had no cone
sion. Its various parts pulled each their
own way Casmir- Perier died bafied in
the work he sought to do for French child
hood.
Loubet Finds Organization.
Now comes Loubet with his discovery of
the seemingly impossible organization al
most ready-made. Loubet has found a CO.
hesive alert organization already covering
the whole French population, at once capa-
BILE and ready to draw the lines of hygiene
for children around every ward division,
every house and family first for Paris, then
for the other great centers.
This organization consists Of nothing but
the French equivalents to our fraternal Or
ders and mutual benefit societies.
These mutualists-as they call themselves
simply-have risen with phenomenal rapid
ity and social significance. Politicians have
sought to capture mutually. They have
not succeeded. Statesmen have seen in Its
self-helping providence the beginnings of
possible old-age pensions system; every
workman would be forced to show himself
q member of some state-investigated mu-
tual benefit society, and his dues for sick
would be contributed by himself, his en-
ployer and the state. Even now, French
employers very generally aid their men to
pay mutually dues. in return for escaping
employers accident liability and to con-
form with the growing social duty-not yet
legal-of the employer to look after faith
full workers when they fall i'll.
Mutually is everywhere. There are the
United Mutualists of the Northern Coal
Mines. There are the Mutualists of the
Grocery Clerks Syndicate. Indeed, the So
cieties are formed much on trade and pro-
fessional lines; but that is not ALL
For example, Nine. Fallieres-as Nine.
Loubet was before her-is acting, working
presidente of the national school children's
mutually, in which each tot possesses a
pass-book recording pennies paid for its in
surance against Group, enteritis, accidents-