New-York tribune., 1907-09-22
CRUDE SOCIALISM.
CnlCersaL Pensions at Sirty-A De-
nloralizing PoIcy.
London, September IL.

sion or five shillings for every over sixty
having received the unanimous approval of the
congress at Bath is now before the country
as the minimum demanded by working Eng
land Statisticians and politicians have got out
their states and have carried the cost into
the region Of higher mathematics. There has
oeen no census since 1901. when the number
over sixty exceeded 3 23S OO0 and 3,5O0!O00 is
now an approximate estimate. When a liberal
reduction is made for the number who would
not apply for pensions, the annual expense Of
national system of insurance against old
age runs up to f45.000000. The trade union
lists did not attempt to explain at Bath how this
scheme was TO be financed. They considered the
ways and means detail for Treasury experts
and were content with formulating a demand for
universal pensions Advanced socialists did not
oppose them. yet made secret Of the fact that
they regarded five shllings too low weekly
pension. and that ten shings would be just
and necessary allowance for the retired. super
animated workman. That would carry the cost
up TO 100000 000-fgures so startling to give
income taxpayers a cold chill. Even the ''irre-
ducible minimum" of five shings will involve
q surtax Of two shngs the pound over and
above the shilling imposed, the nine
pence on incomes below $1,000
Mr.. Asquith has opened the way for the trade
unionlst campaign for pensions by earmarking
fund for the relief of veteran workers Mod
crate Whig as he is, he has made himself
sponsible for the most radical policy proposed
from the Treasury since Sir William Harcourt
increased the grip OF the Dead Hand. He has
not committed himself to any definite sum as
weekly payment nor has he undertaken to
forecast the ultimate cost of any comprehensive
system of relief; but he has assumed that pen
sions are coming and that income taxation and,
<ha rI,yo IL
able resources for providing the money required.
License taxation and the taxation of land values
are vaguely suggested by trade unionsts as con-
tributory sources: but with the increased ex-
penditures for education and the municipalities
il Is doubtful whether augmented income Tor
rensions can be expected from that quarter. The
Liberal method OF financing pensions must oe
consistent with Free Trade. and consequently
direct taxation OF incomes, with heavier leVies
upon estates passing through the toll mouse IN
the Strand. is the only trustworthy resource Tor
obtaining the money. This conclusion is con-
fr1ned by the tactics of the Tariff ReforHeFs'
who noyr form the majority OF the Conservative
marty. They have not placed themselves IN an
tagonisn 10 pensions They want the votes OF
workingmen for fiscal reform and are anxious
10 create the impression among them that pen
s'ons cannot be financed under Free Trade ana
that radical changes IN the tariff system are IN
dispensable. :,
Tho trade unionist demand for pensions Is
consanuentlv opportune. since neither the LID
erals nor the Conservatives are in position to
reject It as an abstract proposition II is also
,,raean+ed cleverlv without estimates Of the
number OF pensioners or the probable COST
since the labor politicians are not interested IN
raising difficulties prematurely. Their aim Is 10
commit both parties 10 the principle that every
man and woman after sixty is entitled 20 pen
sion Of al least five shings as a matter OF
right and they willing to cooperate win
one or with the other whenever practicaI
method OF financing the system Is authorita-
lively proposed. In these circumstances pen
sions are apparently coming without deliberate
calculation OF moral effects upon the mass OF
workers or the community al large. The GER
mans with their superior talent for organization
have carried a pension system into operation
scientifically without burdentng taxpayers OF
dfscouraging thrift. German workmen are forced
10 insure themselves against chronic tnvahdlsi
and old age: employers cooperate with them
and when the age limit Is reached-a higher one
than is proposed by the British trade unionists
the state increases the stipend. There is
nothing in that system to make workers thrift
less and wastefu or TO demoralize self-re-
enecttng community. The trade unionist scheme
proclaimed at Bath takes no account OF self
help temperance and systematic contributions
from recipients II converts everybody over
sixty into a state aided pauper and cannot fall
to have a most demoralizing effect upon local
communities Yet 1t has got into politics in
the crudest possible form. and there 1t Is likely
70 remain until the ways and means of financing
It found.
A poIicy by which everybody over sixty will
he pensioned off by the state Will attract i'm
migrants from the Continent. Trade unionists
nerceived this and are careful 10 limit the sys
tenn advocated by their congress 10 British born
or naturalized workers 1t is doubtful II any
effective safeguards can be established against
foreign invasion OF the working quarters. Pop
lar has been an illustration a small scale of
the evils Of indiscriminate relief on socialist
lines With a lax and wasteful administration
or tbe moor law metropolitan suburb. where
EMPLOYERS were driven out by excessive taxa
t;on and property owners were crushed under
,he burden of increasing rates. was overcrowded
,rri+h r.rners who swarrned in from adjacent
,,orouphs and all portions OF England and the
Continent What happened there may be re-
raote5 on a large scale in the kingdom II the
Brt,sh Treasury assumes full responsibility OF
sexagenarians and the INDECENT poor. Immt-
grafton will be powerfully stimulated II England
becomes O. refuge for pensioners where nobody
&c expected to work after sixty. The most In
ferior classes of labor and poverty VIII be
drained off from the Continent to be naturalized
here and pensioned off in due time at the ex-
pense Of income tax payers These results are
not anticipated by the advocates OF pensions.
but It will be most difficult TO provide against
them by legislation. Crude socialism "on the
chean" without thrift or economy on the part
of the recipients Of state bounty is likely to
prove as dear luxury for taxpayers as It Will
t,,,Its snCn %