Evening star., 1909-05-26
AT WORK FOR THREE YEARS
Review Of the Results Shows Some
thing Is Wrong.
SIGNING CHECKS NOT REMEDY
Notwithstanding Enormous Expend-
iture Vast Army Of Persons Are
Unable to Support Themselves.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS

written 1OI ne StAT hHu Tue OulCdkO hSSUu'
Herald.
ut is very unpleasant to record that.
notwithstanding our assumed moral and
material progress, and Notwithstanding the
enormous annual expenditure, amounting
to nearly fourteen million pounds year,
upon poor relief, education and public
health, we still have a vast army Of per-
sons quartered upon us unable to support
themselves, and an army which In num-
bers has recently shown signs >of increase
rather than decrease. To what is the
retrogression due? It cannot be attrib-
uted to lack of expenditure. Is this costly
and elaborate machinery. we have estab-
lished defective, and, II SO. where does It
fail to accomplish its end?
'"The statistical review Of the expendi-
ture incurred and of the results attained
by it prove that something in our social
organization is seriously wrong. and that,
whatever be the evils, they are not of
such a nature as to be improved or re-
moved by the mere signing of checks or
by the outpouring of our public funds
Goes Deeply Into Subject.
The above quotations are from the re-
por of the royal commission which has
been spending three years in the investi-
cation of pauperism in the United King
dom, and has recently made an elaborate
report and many recommendations as de-
scribed in letter the other day. The
commission has gone very deeply into the
subject. AS the chief cause OF pauper-
ism Is lack of remunerative employ
ment, the main remedies proposed by the
commission are preventive measures Of
an industrial and social character. And
because they are preventive, they are
not so much measures designed for the
distressed unemployed says the report,
as for the community at large with a
view to preventing persons becoming dis
tressed unemployed"
At the head of the list of these prevent
i've measures stand some weighty sug-
gestions in connection with education,
and the employment of boys in occupa-
tions which offer high wages for the time
being, but lead nowhere and offer no
training or prospect for other occupation.
Boys employed, for example, as messen-
gers, are apt to degenerate, and when
they reach manhood, or lose their places,
drift into the ranks Of the casual and IN
efficient laborers. With a view to meet
ing these evils, the commission recon-
mend law requiring all boys to be kept
in school until the age Of fifteen, with the
exemption OF those only who are learning
skilled trades. And there is urgent need
of improved facilities for technical edu-
cation; for continuous system Of ply
sical drill for the improvement of
PhySi4uC, dIu d. Special LABOR exchange
Tor giving boys, parents, teachers and
school managers information and guild
ance as to suitable occupations for boys
leaving school It is also asserted that
the present system of elementary educa-
tion is too literary and diffuse In char
acter. and should be more practical and
combined with manual training In order
that the public school pupil may be tram
ed Tor manual labor and acquire a taste
for 1t rather than for clerical labor
Official Employment Bureaus.
The commission recommends the estab-
dshment of official employment bureaus
under the direction of the Board of Trade
In every parish with such close oofnmuni-
cation as to enable the managers to di-
rect employment from place to place
where 1t is most needed, and to keep a
record OF the best Workmen SO that they
may give information to employers. For
example, the labor exchanges in London
should be able to communicate quickly
with those at Birmingham and vice versa.
so that unemployed persons with good
records may have a quicker chance Of
getting work.
These employment bureaus, or labor ex-
changes, as they are termed In England
according to the recommendations Of the
commission, would be promptly advised
OF all opportunities for employment; they
would be granted free use of the tele-
piOAS oAu lClC6Idpl 1dCillJl0S, ana WOulQ
be able to grant free railway transporta-
ton or especially cheap railway fares to
WOrkmen travelling to situations. The cost
of such transportation might be after
ward refunded by them.
Insurance Against Unemployment.
The commission recommends working
men to take out insurance against un-
employment" by which, upon the pay
ment Of a small premium, a wage Garner
may secure for himself an income suffi-
cient to support himself and his family
in case he loses his job. THE great diff
.iculty in regard to such scheme" says
the report, lis the accumulation of bad
risks'-that is, persons who are subject
to UNEMPLOYMENT men who cannot hold
their jobs. But the commission suggests
that bad risks might be compelled to pay
higher premiums than good workmen,
who can usually obtain regular employ
of work. In Switzerland. where such in
surance is compulsory. the business Is
conducted very much like savings bank.
and the less competent workmen receive
smaller indemnity when they are out of
employment. The commission discussed
the merits and demerits of a voluntary
and a compulsory scheme, and is strongly
in favor of the former. to be conducted
under the supervision Of the board of
trade by trade group organizations"
In this connection, 1t is asserted in the
report that not more than a quarter and
probably not more than one-sixth OF the
total number of Workmen in the United
Kingdom are members of trades unions.
Hence it would be necessary to form in
dependent organizations without regard
to organized labor.
At the same. time there is a strong
opinion among a majority of the men,
bers of the commission that there should
be some means of compelling workmen
to adopt such insurance by arranging
for their employers to pay the weekly
premiums and take 1t out of their wages,
or by enacting a law similar to that of
all of their employees against enforced
idleness.
The commission suggests the desirable
ity of subsidies from the public treas
ury to encourage organizations for in
surance purposes. IF such societies
came into existence under the encour-
agement of a subsidy, we might hope for
insurance against unemployment becom-
| ing general over the field Of labor. Such
| a result. we venture to say, would more
| than counterbalance the expense Of q
| subsidy. No scheme of unemployment in
| surance, either foreign or British, which
has been brought before US Is so free
| from objection as to justify us in specifi-
| cally adopting it, but small commits
| fit trade organizations should be ap-
| pointed at once. with instructions to
! frame as quickly as possible a scheme
| for consideration adapted to the varying
| conditions Of different industrial COM
| munities."
Recommends Public Assistance.
The commission recommends a per-
| manent organization for public assist