The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-07

GERS In Germany during the year,
slight Increase over the previous year.
with a total membership Of 1860
375. There were $4,000 cases of
sickness, with total OF io4.7os.1o4
sick days"
The invalid insurance and old age
pensions arc the development and most
recent addition to the other classes.
These are strictly under government
administration. and the cost is divld-
ed between the Insured. the employer
and the government. upon a sort OF
"co-operhtivc" basis. While the sick"
ana accident" insurance is TO some
extent under private admnistrat ton.
the government co-operatcs. making
these compulsory. fixing the cost, COM
Polling the employers to bear their
share, and supervising them almost as
II they actually were government in
stiiutions.
Over $4,000 600 was paid out last
year In old age pensions and Invalid
benefits. OF this sum. the government
contributed little over $4,000, QUO.
In This class i5,ii4.3o0 people are In
sured. OF which 4,737 800 arc women.
The scope OF the government insur-
ance system has been greatly extend
ed by the passage last month in tho
RoichstaS. OF a law abolishinE tho
private insurance systems OF street
railway companies. and similar cor
porations' all OF which is taken over
by the government.
Next Friday Germany will elect a
new 'ReichstaS" or Parliament for a
term of nve years The last Reichstag.
ike the average American Congress,
was disappointing to everybody con-
cerned, government and people alike.
In the past five years OF its existence
II did virtually nothing up to cx-
pectations."
Soon after the elections in 1907 vast
throhgs of people paraded In front oil
the Emperor's paiace. Inter den Lin
den. and gave joyous demonstrations
over the then newly elected Reicn-
stag of which 40 much was to be ex-
pected. When il adjourned on Decem-
Der 1t died death no one regretted
least OF all the people.
What stands out more than any
, thing else In the present campaign is
| The fact that the Conservative coall-
ton, the majority with which ChanceI-
Tor Won Bethmann Hollwcg ruled, but
, which in the last five days of the
i Reichstag virtually repudiated him for
his settlement of the Moroccan trou-
BILE, Is fighting on the defensive asainst
|
social-D emocratlc party. which hau
htty-two members in the last Reich
: stag. 1t is struggle between ~.
Conservatives and the Radicals. the
lat err .ryi..s % wres. from the ruling
caste grea. or voice for the people IN
the government Of Germany.
| Tho past week ended with a vigor:
Gus attack by The socialists upon tho
workingmens' insurance sysfers in
Germany, the mGst comprehe sive sys-
| TEN Of in urance against .ilness, &C.
cldeni., inv-ltoism and old age pens.
ions possessed w any coun.ry in the
| world. 1 he law providing Tor the sys.
tenn was passed ove.' the opposition OF
! the social.s.s In the Re.cl.stag, who
declared the laws were Inadequate
| The Socialists show that the ceipts
| of The three classes of insu: ances-
+, sickness. accident. invalidism, and old
age-for the pc. loo from 1855 to 1909
| aggregated approximate $4,000. 500 :
600. of which, II s claimed. thu in
surtd workingmen and women paid
over one billion dollars, the govern-
mt contributed sl25.00.OO0. the cm.
I ployers. income from in lerest and 9TH
| er sourc s. The rest They declare that
the as essments, which in America
would be considered very low indeed
are 90 heavy for the benefits received
! BY the insured.
The Social SITS look upon Insurance,
which. In some voca-ions, is com
pulsory, as a form OF "taNalion,". re-.
CARELESS Of the fact that a man earn
ing sl.2a day receives one-half of
MS wages for &c tain period of III
ness. for w. ich his weekly assessment
| Is only &c cents
II Is estimated that the Soc a lists
WI have around eighty out of 3s7
members in the next Reichstag, which
would make them the. second strong
| est party In the national Parliament. +