New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-09-08
HEALTH INSURANCE.
.S7cPden Can GiUe 1mericd Points
Along This Line

The last topic on which America is looking for
instruction IS democracy on that point we loid
ourselves prepared enligrren the world Yet
no ono can be long in Scandinavia without feeling
that Il thoroughly learned II We aFe Tor
getting the very first lesson in equality. Try II
and See if you do not catch your breath me
first time sha bby. humble minded Norwegian cab
driver shakes YOU warmly by the hand when You
give him his fee
Because they really believe in equality an ideal
worth struggling toward the people Of Scandinavia
have developed quick and growing sense or social
responsibility Things here call privileges there
pass rights
The rational management Of doctors might he
learned from Seweden The very system which -
raising such hubb III in America there hourlshes'
but fourishes under control I mean the taxing
of the sick rich TO pay the medical olHs OF tls
sick poor As matter of fact there IS no such
thing as a doctors bill in all Sweden. once
wear every man sends his contribution TO his physi-
clan according to his ability II hts purse is long
he NAV send as much as sl5 If he is straitened.
he makes il s25 The poor pay pittance. paupers
nothing az all. If a doctors patients are mostly
of the unmoneyed class. the government SUBSIDIES
him to make ii up And Tor country d!SIL,L =.
where the scattered population could not support
good physician the state either adds 10 the praCt-
toner's stipend salaries him outright Every
body must have a doctor; that is automatic And
he must he good. There are no nedglhBs among
the medical of Sweden, for 1t takes man
e1aven years 10 win his diploma The essential
beauty of system is that patents 90 not neglect
small ailments from motives of frugatty. since
publtc opinion forces them pay their doctor his
yearly stipend whether he has treated them or not
It's health insurance You lay up your money IN
draw on II.
In America we are just learning that the greatest
gift you give blind man Is the aollity 10 earn
his own living Denmark extends that boon 10 ths
halt and MANNED Is well as to the blind Work
man crippled in a Danish factory knows preclsely
what TO do He goes to the School for Disabled
Workers and learns to support himself without the
lost arm or leg or finger. as the case may be- me
school has made exhaustive study or trade
chances for crippled folk Ii provides tools 1000
medicine and free orthopedic treatment for its IN
fortunate pupils. buys their work as soon as II Is
saIaoIe. and they know trade hndS theh'
positions Here is prophecy for the future eN-
tension Of the American movement for the hduS-
trial independence of the blind
perhaps the supreme social achievement of Scan
dina1-ta IS the Qualification Of the pastoral life
rbere is actually d strong tide setting from the
slums to the farms. The movement Is at It's heieht
in Denmark 1t is not due TO any colonizatoh
,re,,es or other artificial devices. The govern
,,ant and the cities turned TO help the country
folk and the country folk responded oy dlspIaS
ing an undreamed of ability TO hetp 'ieinse' -
~ America somehow. many good things SKIP the
country Public education is our national teuch,
-. ~ nv government confession the country
hoo,s are inadequate. The teachers are unframed
,orl,iper only until they get money enough 70
40 something else having between twenty-five anu
thirty recitations day. they cannot prevent 'Aei
pupils wasting half their time
VI, scandinavia 1t IS not So In sweden at
least every rural teacher mas a foIiia a. p
e. behind her. Moreover. there are tiie rev
L. TIighs These latter are not rurai copies
IF the city high schools but informal insu'utoHs
49, farmers and their wives. or farm hadus
W st re nr, 10 the ege of twenty-five. can get
teaching directly calculated to make tneln ni
lent In their work well as TO AWAKEN patti-
otisrn stimulate mental activity ana warm tn7
Loort There are no entrance requirements or tA-
s,no .;ons All instruction is by lectures ana
..nmizzes The object is simply 70 teach me
= qn-0tr- "a make the best-hnanctaliy and so
- ,,,rtrv life The farmers diet being |
commonly unwholesome rational country cooking
ia Taught to the farmers wife she is encouraseu
- 20 jnto DolIItrv farming and market gardening
49, to use the wild berries that grow 50 plenu-
TrIlv ali about her. The farmer hlnselt iea.hs
- ,,strr horticulture dairy bookkeeping. cattle
S5t,r ashing and surveying-along with Dan |
ish history politics. singing gymnastics ana sloSu-
All this with board for 81 90 week!
And vet / have said nothing or the telephohs
svsten, AT Stockholm. the finest IN the world |
Won nav "a cents for a call at a pay station |
st3 20 a wear for city service. cents on the long
distance telephone for distance of sixty miles.
4S cents for a thousand miles and g cents for the
limit of distance conceivable 10 the scan