New-York tribune., 1911-11-20
SOCIAL REFORM
III-Digested Legislation - Con.
traSt Between England
and Germany.
London, November 9.

tion that social reforms which are IN
successful operation In Germany Will ba
equally useful in the United Kingdom.
German experience. however. has been
regulated by conditions which are lack
ing IN Great Britain and ireland. The
German system of insurance against ac-
cident sickness invaldity and old age
was thought out in detail with scientific
thoroughness and introduced with DELHI
Grafton, whereas in the United Kingdom
the bills have been prepared with reck-
less haste and are forced through the
Commons under closure. without ade-
quate revision and debate In Germany.
moreover. there is n network of employ.
ers' and Workingmon's associations.
which have co-operated In carrying out
the insurance laws and in preventing
malngering and fraud; and the system
is supervised by state Officials. whose
inquiries and activities are not resented
by any class in the community in
Great Britain and Ireland employers and
employed are not leagued together in
webs Of organization for administrative
purposes and under systematic state in
spection. As much thought. constructive
power end system have not gone into
measures Of state socialism for the i'm
provement Of the masses.
Work which has occupied twenty
years in Germany is compressed into
single legislative measure affecting every
industrial interest and social class in the
kingdom. Not only are all workers to
be insured against sickness and dsabil-
ity, as they are already against accident
and the burdens Of old age, bur mothers
are also 10 be protected before and after
childbirth, consumption is to be stamped
out by scientific methods and child life
is to be guarded against contamination,
disease and chronic inhrmity. Every
thing which has been attempted I'm Ger
many and Switzerland is 70 be repeated.
and some things which have been con-
s'dered extra hazardous if not imprac-
ticable in those countries are TO be boldly
undertaken by Mr.. Lloyd George in his
eagerness to hasten the social millen-
MUM. The municipal reformers Of Berne
started the idea of insurance against un-
employment; the merchants Of Cologne
raised a small fund of $4,000. and. with
the help Of Socialists, formed a society
for insurlng a limited number Of work.
men against worklessness during three
winter months; Leipsic has gone further
in introducing insurance against unem-
ployment all the year round and Munich
has introduced the same system in
close association with the labor registry.
These tentative schemes are in restricted
operation as daring experiments. There
is no general law for regulating them
and making them compulsory.
These experiments i'm Germany and
Switzerland have been tried only on a
small scale, because the weakness Of
human nature is recognized. When
Workmen have been contributing their
pennies for many weeks TO insure them
selves against unemployment they are
tempted to eXaggerate their aches and
pains and to get their money back by
Ceasing 10 work for a season. In Eng
land, where the obligation OF the indi-
Vidual workman to support himself and
to make provision for emergencies OF
sickness, disability and unemployment
has not been emphasized as the basis Of
social reform the risks Of malingering
and evasion will be multiplied. Yet the
Chancellor OF the EXchequer has not
hesitated to take up this difficult SUBJ
Ject and to make this class Of insurance
compulsory in five great industries en-
ploying over 100000 workmen. In
building, construction Of works, ship
building. mechanical engineering and
construction of vehicles the employer
and the workman are to pay > pence .
week against the risks of unemployment,
and the state is TO add something like
a third 10 their contributions; and when
the man is out Of worl; he is TO receive
benefit at the rate Of seven shillings
week. Rebates will be allowed to en-
ployers after the payment of forty-iive
contributions, and many restrictions are
imposed upon workmen; but with all the
safeguards and qualifications this sec
ton Of the insurance scheme remains a
tremendous experiment, which prudent
administrators in Germany would not
have dared TO make.
This class of insurance is 10 be OPP
Grated by stamped cards, like the SICK
ness and disability risks This is to be-
come a weekly recreation in every house,
hold. shop and factory-putting stamps
on cards. The employer is To be respon-
sible for his own and for the workmens
contributions to these various classes 0t
insurance. and the cards are 20 offer
prima facie evidence of the liability OK
the state To enforce benefits when these
are due The social reforms, with tho
exception of unemployment risks, sFs
operating satisfactorily in Germany
where master and man like system and
are accustomed to the discipline of
pdternal government. Nobody thinks OK
taking offence in the fatherand when
an inspector from the insurance bureau
enters counting room or house and de-
mands the firms books or the family ac-
counts in order that he may have PROOF
that the law has not been evaded'
Whether Engishmen will tolerate the
same meddlesome activities is doubtful
and without unremitting supervision the
insurance system cannot be effecuv-Y
operated.
Methods of administration which are
helping to bind together sections ana
classes in the social fabric Of the Ger
man Empire may not be equally wen
suited TO Great Britain and Ireland