Evening journal., 1909-02-22

in the same direction, and this is remarkable be-
cause England has always been considered as
the home of individualsm.
The problems of the present day-problems
OF the unemployed and care for the sick and
old-have forced England to take these steps
towards paternalism or socialistic measures, if
you please, although the word Socialism is now
used to cover such variety of thought and so
many things that it hardly has any definite
meaning.
Speaking of conditions in this country Olga
Nethersole, in her article, declares that eve
want compulsory workers insurance law and
it should be Federal law" This, of course,
would be big step onward considering that
there is opposition among some workers in this
country to compulsory insurance or anything
that savors of such when applied by individual
corporations.
In Germany it is different.
The writer of the above mentioned article
says that, "The German empire is ahead of other
civilized countries of the world in this matter
because Germany has recognized the economic
value of caring for people"
The Workmans Compulsory Insurance Law
has been in operation in Germany for twenty
one years. 1t must have been satisfactory or
else the German working people-and they are
more strongly organized in Germany than they
are in any other nation-would long ago have
upset the law.
The government under this law deducts a tax
from the wages of every man and woman worker
and the vast funds thus accumulated are applied
for the purpose of affordng the contributors
and their families assistance in the event of their
being prevented from gaining livelihood.
Under the law four causes of incapacity
recognzed. Accident sickness, invalidism and
old age Sick pay lasts for six months. If after
the lapse of that time, the insured person is un-
able to resume his or her employment, the case
ranks under the third head, invadism.
The worker, therefore, has a right to these
benefits That this scheme a vast undertake
ing is shown by statistics of the money dis
bursed The figures from 1885 to 1903 are as
follows:
/. Sick pay the members Of the various
insurance societies .............. .S24I60271000
(Ths amounts to at least one-half OF
the ordinary wage).
was in hospital ...................... 45212sooo
CThs amounts to at one-haif Of
g. Confinement pay to wives of worIsmen sO5s.2e5Oo
4 Paid on death of insured ........... 1ss2z1s5Oo
(Amounting TO at least 20 times tho
daily wage)
Total sss447O, $4,000
These amounts were disbursed under the
validity insurance scheme from 1891 to 1903:
]. Invalid pay llb2S'52eOO
g Sick pay ............................. 150O,195Oo
a Ola age pav ...................... 7s9O1, ,OSOOO
A. Reimbursements marriage. ......... s12o,75No0
8. Accident pay. since 1900 only 27s60 90
saTed in n hospitals ..'e.,.. ' as7s5Oo
(santariums etc, from 1897 TO 1908.
amounting TO at least one-fourth the
ordinary wage. but maybe. and nearly
always is, largely increased)
Total s1O1, 1,os5os5oo
These figures show how insurance is regarded
in one large nation and how an important econ
omic problem is dealt with by Germany. They
are interesting because they are informing and
not because there is any likelihood that Fed
eral insurance or compulsory insurance of any
kind is likely to be tried by any OF the States