The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-03-09
GREAT CONTROVERSY
OVER NATIONAL INSURANCE
But Act for Insurance Against Sick
ness and Disablement Passed Par
lament without a Vote
In Opposition.

London, March 9.-For an act tina
passed through parliament without :
division, that is without any member
registering a vote against it, the ma
tlonal insurance scheme against sick
ness and disablement has set up rec
old for the extent of the controversy
that has ragged around it.
The friendly societies, which have in
suranee benefits of their own for mem
beers, started the trouble. They fearea
that the bill, by forcing their members
to contribute to the government scheme
would induce them to leave the societies
This was settled by approved societies
being allowed to administer the act 50
far as it dealt with their members
Then came the opposition of mis-.
tresses and servants, who, besides OBJ
jeeting to contributing their six cents
weekly, each, for the insurance OF the
servant, raised a cry against the ne
cessity of sticking the necessary stamps
in a book.
Opposition also came from large en-
ployers of labor, chiefly in the cotton
districts of Lancashire. who held that
the extra tax would deprive them of
then. profits.
Other classes have taken up the cry
against the bill, the Socialists among
them. as they wanted system to which
the workmen would not have to con
tribute, the state and employer paying
the whole Of the amount required.
The most serious and sustained oppo-
sition to the bill, however. has been that
of the medical men, II 600 of whom
have signed declaration that they.
will not accept service under the act.
The chief objection OF the doctors is
that no adequate remuneration for the
men could be obtained under
the act, that it would in fact amount
to about 81 year for each patient
This is only calculation. as the act
states that the remuneration Of doc
tons who place their names on the lists
shall be a matter OF arrangement be-
tween the local insurance committees
ard the doctor The medical men, how.
ever, point out that the committees
consist of perhaps eighty members, only
three Of whom would be medical men,
50 that the chances of adequate re-
are the remotest.
The medical men also object TO the
control by friendly societies, chiefly be-
cause they believe well-tO-do people
would creep into friendly societies and
get medical attendance at the same
rate as the lahorers. Then there is OBJ
lection ia what is known here as the
contract system, This already prevails
n certain districts. chiefly among the
miners. who contribute to a fund out
If which medical man attends those
for a fixed salary.
Those doctors who. in face of the de-
.ision of the great majority of their
have agreed to act under the
lill are being decried as "blacklegs.'
md the campaign is being carried on
much as would strike OF trade union
SIS
The government has started a counter
to bring home to every house
old in the land that il was to a radi.
al government that they owed what
hey believe to be the blessings Of
Teat measure OF a great healing or
Mr. Lloyd George opened !
his campaign ut meeting IN the Lon
on opera house when be replied to the |
of the medical profession. He |
that the doctors were no long |
r under the control Of the friendly so |
ieties, and as TO remuneration the bill |
e up ain independent authority on
hich the doctors would be represented /
I'D which would frame the terms The
lsurance committees could not arrange
he terms for paying doctors without
lusulting the local medical committee
presenting the whole OF the doctors
t the district and there was an appeal
J the insurance commissioners Should
he medical profession refuse to act, all
be safeguards inserted in the act for
'eir profession would be wiped out at
nee and the act would be as alive as
yer. The money allocated to medical
ruefits would be handed over TO the in
red persons through their societies and
le doctors would once more find them
,lves face to face with the friendly
,eieties, the membership Of which would
? increased By l0,000000
The act was to have been proclaimed
4 May |. The time has now been ex-
'rded until July ! and an effort has
sei made to have the date further re-
.rdpd