The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-08-12
IRELAND AND THE
INSURANCE. SCHEME
The Lloyd George Proposal Needs
Modifying Before Being Ap-
piled to Ireland.
Believed That in it's Present Form
it Would Work Hardship in
That Country.
A Discussion of the Bill Helps to
Show the Need of an Irish
Parliament.

Discussion over the gigantic scheme
Of national insurance proposed by
Lloyd-George continues, and grows in
volume as it proceeds. The Lloyd
George budget of 1909, which started
the present constitutional revolution,
was a sweeping and comprehensive
measure; but for intricacy and COM
plication of detail it could not hold
the candle" to his proposed measure
of national insurance, writes the Dub
umbian.
The measure is gigantic, compre-
hensive, and, at least to the ordinary
lay reader, amazingly complicated. 1t
is for these reasons that nearly all
comment upon its proposals in the
press has been halting, wary and
guarded. If proposed a short genera
ton ago, the measure would be al
most universally deserted in England,
if not in Ireland, as state paternalism,
if not socialism,.
What tho Measure Means.
OF course, it is impossible to give
in a few lines any adequate idea OF a
bill which requires a speech of two
and one-half hours from the Chancel-
lor to unfold it's general outlines. The
! intent of the measure is to protect
the wage Garner against sickness and
unemployment. 1t is, therefore, di-
I vided into two parts-G) Sickness and
invalidity, (2) Unemployment. The
part under sickness is SUBJ divided
| into two sections-(a) Compulsory
| (b) Voluntary. The meaning of this
| division is, of course, that to some
classes of wage -earners it will be COM
pulsory to join the scheme, to others
optional. Before drafting the measure
the Chancellor had employed experts
| to make actuarial estimates. A few
results of their Investigations will
: show the magnitude of the measure:
f, Proposals will apply to 14,700,0OO
workers. In compulsory class, $780,
900 men; 100000 women. In volun-
tary class, 100000 men; 100000 wo-
men. Workers under Is years, 6OO,-
OOO
The benefits accruing will include:
payments. 3. Allowance during un-
employment. 4. Allowance in cases
of permanent disablement-this dis
tinct from oldage pensions. 1t is es-
timated, however, that after 15K
years with the accumulated funds OF
his scheme, it will be possible to give
old-age pensions at 65-at present the
required age is Tor if a man pre-.
fers to go on working after that age
to increase his pension. Persons ovcl
65 cannot join the scheme. Every
wage Garner under that age is admit.
ted if he joins within twelve month!
after the passage OF the act.
Origin Of the Funds.
The funds will be supplied partl,
by the workers, partly by the employ
ers, and partly by the state. Leaving
aside for the present the voluntar,
class, the compulsory (sickness) plan
involves all who earn weekly wager
and whose total income therefrom doe
not exceed e G160-S900 a year. In thi
class the contributions will be weekly
Workmen. cents; workwomen,
. cents employers, cents (for cacl
employee: the state, cents for eacl
!, employee. There will be but one seal
for all classes of wcrknen; but il
cases of small wages among othe
classes the contributions will be il
proportion. Soldiers, sailors, govern
ment and municipal employees, an
compulsory scheme. For soldiers an
sailors special provisions are made.
Separate Bill for ireland.
In speaking of the land taxes las
J.. year, Bishop Foley of Kildare, de
clared that what is economically goo
for England is, by the fact itself, ba
for Ireland; and this is in the mai
true. Ireland Is almost exclusively a
|, agricultural country. Of numerou
D small property owners. and of yer
h few, and those small, industries Eng
: lands population is mainly industrial
here proprietors are few and wealth,
5