Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-18
1.-THE
GERMAN
ADVANCE

BERLIN, August 5.-The attitude
OF the German state toward its
laboring classes is paternalistic to
degree almost impossible for an American
to comprehend. This system of paternal-
ism is the outgrowth of feudalism, auto
cracy and the operation Of centuries OF
the Roman law. In its present form,
the. peaternalistic care of the laboring
classes is distinctively Prussian in origin
and form.
| Bismarck based the present German In
dustrial system upon the precedent of the
| so-called Prussian common law. This
common law was promulgated by King
| Frederick William III on July |, 1194.
date which synchronizes with the climax
of the French reign of terror. This law
proclaimed: 1T is the duty of the state
to provide for the sustenance and support
| of those Of its subjects who cannot OBJ
tain subsistence for themselves Work
| adapted to their strength and capacities
shall be supplied to those who lack means
and opportunity of earning living for
themselves. and those dependent upon
them. The state is bound to take such
measures as will prevent the restitution
of its subjects, and check excessive ex-
travagance.
Thus more than a century ago, Prus-
STA pledged itself a state to afford
support to every subject of the Prussian
crown. This legislation amounted to
very little more than declaration OF
principle, since little was done to make
| 1t effective. Following the second French
revolution of 1890 some effort was made
to carry out these principles. But 1t was
not until Bismarck was in complete con-
troll of German affairs that any sys-
tematic and honest effort was made to
redeem this promise of the state to its
subjects-the promise to abolish munger.
AA
In 1884 in a speech on the subject Of in
proclaimed the
Proclaimed Doctrine doctrine of the
Of Right to Work. He said: Give
the working man work as long as he is
healthy, assure him care when he is sick,
insure him maintenance when he is old,
Was not the right to work openly prod
claimed at the time Of the publication
Of the common law? Is 1t not established
in all our social arrangements that the
man who comes before his fellow-citiZens
and says: L am healthy, desire to work,
but can find no work. is entitled to say
also: Give me work. and that the state
is bound to give him that work.
The Bismarckian policies then inaugu-
rated have become part of the funda-
mental law of Germany and have had
even more to do with the shaping of
modern German institutions than Bis
marck's great political triumph-the uni
fication of the empire with cement of
blood and iron.
In some respects the working classes
in Germany are less favored than work
men in either England or America. They
have less leisure, fewer amuSements and
a smaller amount of money to spend for
either entertainment or living expenses,
yet there enters into their lives none Of
the degradation and missy seen in Eng
land, nor the wastefulness and discomfort
SO common In America.
In order to show the extremely low
scale of living in Germany,'a statement
was prepared by a frugal, calculating
factory workman. Instead OF being an
instance of exaggerated economy, a Sc
lection was made that is conceded to be
a little above the income and expenses of
the average toiler. Thousands of fami
lies In the German empire actually live
apd acquire competence upon a smaller
stipend than this.
The weekly income of the head of the
family is $642. the earnings of his wife
and children
weekly INCOME are $o.oS' ana
of Family, $l0.25. rivad so fSo au
keeping a young man ledger. 80 cents;
total. S1O25. The weekly spendings. In
Guiding everything. amounted to a total
of STA. Calculating on; this basis. his
annual income is $3.50 and his expendi-
lures S4O2. As. leaving a profit of S130.52.
In order to live within such narrow
margin. there must be no foolish or un-
necessary spending. Amusements play a
comparatively small part in the lives of
the German working people. and such as
they have are mostly confined to Sundays
AS a rule, they go in for few games.
Foot ball, cricket and base ball matches
have little attraction for them. case is
cited where final game between rival
clubs of two manufacturing towns was at
tended by only sixty-five people. In Eng
land or America such a game would have
brought out an attendance of thousands
Theaters and music halls are less numer-
Gus in proportion to the population than
in other countries. The theaters in indus
trial towns are always owned and OPP