Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-03-09
INSURANCE SCHEME
PASSED WITHOUT
DIVISION
No Vote Registered Against
English Law to Provide
Relief Against Sickness and
DisabIement.

UlsaDlemcnt.
(ny Eve@Ing EIeraia a. r. T.euaed WireD
London, March 9.--For an act that
passed through parliament without a
division, that Il without any member
registering a vote against n, the Ma
tional Insurance scheme against sick
ness and disablement has set up a
record FOR the extent 81 the contro-
versy that has ragged around It,
Tho friendly societies. which have
Insurance benefits or their own for
members, started the trouble. They
feared that the bill. BY forcing their
mebers % contribute 20 the govern
ment scheme. would induce them TO
leave the societies. This was settled
by approved societies being allowed
to administer tbe act 20 far as lt
dealt with their members
Then came the opposition or mis-
tresses and servants who. besides OBJ
1ecting 20 contributing their six cents
weekly each for the insurance OF the
servant. raised "a cry against the nee
essity Of sticking the necessary stamps
IN book.
Opposition also came from large
employers OF labor, chiefly IN the cot
ton districts OF Lancashire, who held
that the extra tax would deprive them
or their profits
other classes havt taken up the cry
against the bill. the Socialists amung
them. as they wanted a System 10
which tho workman would not have
to contribute, the state and employer
paying the whole OF the amount re-
quired.
Tho most serious and sustained OPP
position 90 the BILL however, has been
that Of the medical mon, 81 900 Of
whom have signed declaration that
they win not accept service under the
act. The chief objection OF tho doc
tors Ia that no adequate remuneration
for the medical men could be Obtained
under the act; that u would IN fact
amount 10 about 81 yearly for each
patient. This Is only a calculation.
as the act states that tho romrnera-
tlon ~ doctors who place their names
on the lists Of those agreeing 20 at
tend patients under the act shall be
a matter OF Arrangement between the
local insurance COMMITTEES and tho
doctor That medical mon. however
point out that the committees consist
OF perhaps eighty members. only
three Of whom would be medical men.
80 that the chances Of adequate re-
munerntlon are the remotest
The medical mon also object 10 the
control % friendly societies. chiefly
because they believe weil-tO-do people
would creep into friendly societies
and set medical attendance az the
same rate as the iaOorers.
Then there IN objection 20 what Is
known here as the contract system.
This already prevails In certain dis
tricts. chiefly among the miners, who
contribute 10 a fund ont of which
medical man attends these contrihut-
ing for a fiNed salary.
Those doctors who. Re face OF the
decision Of the great majority OF their
profession have agreed 10 act under
fhe bill are being described az black
legs" and the campaign n being cars
rlcd on much as would strike OF
trade unIonists.
The government has started a coun-
ter campaign % bring home to every
household In the land that Il was 20
a radical government that they owed
what they believe 70 be the blessings
OF a great measure Of a great healing
organization. Mr.. Lloyd George
opened this campaign NJ a meeting IN
the London opera house when he re-
piled to the criticisms 81 the medical
profession He contended that .he
doctors were no longer under the
control Of The friendly societies. and
IA 20 remuneration the bin set up an
Independent authority on which the
doctors would be represented and
which would frame the terms The
Insurance committees would not ar
range the terms for paying doctors
without considering tho local medical
committee representing tho whole OF
tho doctors Of the district and there
was an appeal 20 the Insurance COM
missioners. should tho medical proc
fession refuse 10 act. all the safe
guards inserted IN tho net for their
profession would be wiped ont al once
and the act would be MS alive as ever /
The money ailocated 10 medical hem !
efis would be handed over 20 the in-
surod persons through their societies
and the doctors would once more |
find themselves face 90 face with the
friendly societies. the membership OF
which would be Increased by 10000
coo.
Tho act was 20 have been pro-
claimed on May 1 Tho time has now
hecu extendcd until July l and an ef-
fort has been made 20 have the date
further retarded.