The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-15
Old Age Pension
 Law in France
<By s. Solomon.)

I
 Briand ministry, particularly the
 work of Viviani. is about to be put | to a test as to its practical usefulness. Hardly were the preliminary steps | taken to prepare for it's application, | than objections were raised all over. 1 Deputies from all parties announced | changes to be proposed as soon as the | parliament convenes. The ultra-re- | actionary elements, no doubt, will try | to wipe it out of existence altogether; | many, on the other hand, will | try to bring about such changes as
 to make it of real benefit to the work | CTS, and not burden as it proves to | be, and as they prophesied it will be | when the law was considered. The main points they intend to press are: 1 The suppression of the taxes on Salar- | ies, and the reduction of the age linn | it.
 | A. Bruckere and J. Dreyfus, in a series of articles in L'Humanite, with l out going in to discuss the merits of | the law, explained the meaning of the | various clauses and the mode of op- l eration. We will endeavor to sum up l the contents of those articles for the benefit of our readers. | I. Beginning with July 3, 1911, every l wOrkingman or working woman over l 65 years of age, without resources | although they did not pay any con- | tributions-is entitled to a pension | equal to half of the help provided in l the law of 1905. The burden of this | pension is on the State, and cannot l exceed the sum of 100 francs per year. Beginning with the same date, a worker dying at the age of 64 years | Or less his widow will be entitled to
 compensation of 50 francs for each | of the three months following the | death Or 15O francs altogether. | At the first pay day following July | g. every employer is compelled, fail | ure to do so being punished with fine, | to retain certain portion of the wa | ges of his employees, add to it an equal part from his own pocket to | constitute a fund to be used for old age pensions.
 Compulsory participation: Are insured and compelled to pay | all workers above the age of 13, age | limit to enter factory. | All factory and shop workers. | Employees in department stores and | offices.
 All agricultural workers. | All employees in the National, State and City administrations (not bene- | fitting from special pension laws) Servants, cooks, nurses, chamber maids.
 Farm hands, 1aborers and drivers. Small proprietors, occasionally | working for others.
 | All those earning a salary are en- | titled to a pension and their wives to death benefit.
 Voluntary participation exists for: Salaried people earning more than 5000 francs, and less than 5000 francs. Farmers small owners, having only one worker payment and pension is | voluntary for the owner and compul- sorry for the worker.) The fees (dues) to be paid, equal l for the employer and employe, are fixed in the following manner: 1. For every man above IS years centimes for every work day. ?. Women above IS years, 2 cen- times for every work day. B. For minors between 13 and IS years, 11s centimes for every work day. The dues will, therefore, be figured: Males-Day, O.O3; month, 0.75; year, g francs
 Females-Day, 0.O2; month, O.5o; year, francs.
 Minors-Day, O.15; month, O35 or O.45; year, 4.50 francs. The law figures twenty-five work days per month, and 300 per year. In case of sickness or unemploy- l ment the worker must not pay, but his pension is reduced accordingly. The widow and heirs receive a death
 
 fore the age of 65 years, the amount depending on the number of children. A widow without children receives 15O francs; 200 francs if she has one child under Is years; 250 francs if she
 has two; 300 francs if she has three
 or more. The pension fund will be constituted from:
 l. Total dues paid by the workers. ?. From those paid by the employ
 CT.
 3. From the amount of 50 francs
 per year to be added by the State. In case the payments have been
 made regularly from the age of 13 to
 the age of 65 the pension will be AGO francs year for males, and BIT francs for females. Now just two examples how the law will work:
 For the Transitory Period-A work
 CT being 50 years old when the law goes into force. For fifteen years from 50 to 65 years) paying francs per year he turns in 135 francs; the employer the same amount. If he
 lives to the age of 72, being entitled to 12O francs per year, he will received
 altogether $40 francs. For the Constant Period-From the
 age of 13 to 65, taking off two years for military service, the worker will
 pay:
 Francs 5 years at 4.50 per year 22,50 45 years at 800 per year 405.00 H$S si ~lsifti Total, APT 50 Being entitled to 400 francs pension
 per year, if he lives to the age of 72 years, he will receive 2,S0O francs,
 having paid only 427.5O. IT.
 THE WORKINGS OF THE LAW.
 In the first part of April, the city
 administrations all over France will
 establish temporary list of all the
 wage earners residing in their terri
 tory; in the second part of April every
 worker on the list will receive a bull
 letin, requiring him to give certain
 information, and there he will have
 to state: CD, where he wants his and
 his employers shares to be turned
 over; @, his wish to turn over to
 his heirs the payments.
 This bulletin filled out and turned
 over, he will receive two cards one
 serving for Identification, the other a
 yearly card which on his birthday
 every year will be exchanged for a
 new one, when presenting the old one
 with twelve stamps posted on, the
 tn amount paid for year being en-
 tered or the identification card. On
 the basis of this card, at the end, he
 will receive his pension or his widow
 the death benefit.
 Every pay day, stamps are to be