The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1909-03-18


Berne the first municipal bureau for
insurance against unemployment the
world had even seen. The bureau was
organized on voluntary lines; any
Swiss subject might insure in 1t, but
no one need insure unless he chose
Those who did insure we're required to
pay 40 centimes-a fraction less than I'D
Ia month each into the bureau fund,
and In return they secured the right
to an allowance Of a franc II alone
standing, or franc and a half If with
others dependent on them, for every
day up 10 sixty days they were out OF
work In winter through no fault Of
their own. Employers were not re-
quired to contribute to the fund, but
It was hoped that they would do so vol
UNFAIRLY.
During the first year 4O4 men insured
In 1t, but so Of them we're struck on
the list because they did not pay their
fees regularly. OF the remaining 354,
ZIG were out Of work in the winter and
applied for help. Work was found for
90 OF them, and the 166 others received
allowances. These allowances amount.
ed to 6S35 francs, while the fees the
men paid amounted to only 1924 francs,
The following year things were a little
peter, but only little; for although
lZ6 new members Joined the bureau,
OF names were removed from the list.
In the course of the winter 236 Of the
insured were out of work. and 219 of
them received allowances amounting TO
1854 francs, while the fees Of all the
insured together amounted only 10 1866
francs. Thus when in 1895 the time
came for weighing the experiment in
the balance no one could claim that
1t had proved a success. Still there
was strong feeling that 1t must not
be abandoned, as It might II worked
Inherently prove a success in the fut-
ure. 1t was bound to prove a sue
cess, indeed, its managers maintained,
II only workingmen Of all classes could
be Induced to throw in their lot togeth.
er and insure against unemployment.
AS 1t was It was only the unskilled
who insured, and even among the un.
skilled only those who were likely to be
unemployed. This was proved by the
TACT that in the first year the bureau
existed 81 percent Of the men belong
Ing to 1t were out of work. 1t was pro-
posed, therefore, that insurance against
unemployment should be made COM
pulsory, and as this was beyond the
power OF the municipality DR.. Was
silief appealed to the cantonal govern
ment TO frame a measure on the same
lines as that on which the courts of
trade are founded, comforting on dis
trict authorities the right to organize,
In cooperation with the state. insur-
ance against unemployment on com
pulsory lines He even showed them
how 1t could be done, as he drew up
for them a compulsory insurance bill !
The bill was received with enthu.
siasm, and the minister Of the inter-
Tor announced his intention of adopt !
Ing 1t as a government measure He !
changed his tone, however, when he !
found that although the mass Of the |
workers were in favor Of 1t the better |
paid among them were bitterly opposed |
to it, regarding 1t as an attempt to
levy tax on them for the benefit OF |
their less well to do comrades. Be |
sides, If 1t were passed the whole can |
ton would be flooded with undergrad |
labor from other cantons, they said. |
The end Of II was the cantonal par. |
while expressing warm sym.
pathy with the aim Of the bill, decid- |
ed that the subject with which it.
dealt was not ripe for legislation.
Meanwhile the Berne Voluntary In.
Bureau was pursuing the even
tenor Of its way. II was reorganized
In 1898 and again in 1900. Since then
Il has develope- into an extremely in
teresting and useful institution. II is
now Joined to another and still more
useful institution, the Berne Municipal
Labor Bureau, the two being housed in
The same building and worked togeth-
3D. They are under the direction and
control Of managing board consist
ng OF nine members, three of whom
ire elected by the men who insure and
.hree by their employers, while three
are appointed by the Municipal Coun-
I'll. These directors hold Office for four
years, and at the end Of every year
hey render an account Of their stew
lrdship to the Municipal Council Three
If the directors watch over the work
ng of the insurance bureau; three
over that Of the labor bureau; while
me acts as president, another as vice
president, and another. again, as treas