Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-08-06
WORKMAN INSURANCE ACT.
unfriendIy Review of EnsIand's Great
Experiment.


On certain day two weeks ago the
100000 wage earners of England
were expected to devote that day to
capering about in ecstacy, flinging their
caps In the air, building huge bonfires
In celebration and otherwise display
ing the fact that they were ravished
with delight. The day was July Is,
named Joy Day" by a benevolently
smiling government. The occasion for
the hilarity on the part Of the 15, ,000,-
600 Britishers was the fact that the
national insurance act had gone into
effect on that day.
But when July Is dawned a man
with a magnifying glass would have
had hard work to find any traces of the
expected celebration. Not a caper was
capered, not bonfire bonned. No 10Y
on Joy Day" as scheduled. And the
reason for the embarrassing silence
was that out Of the $4,000, 900 inhabi-
tants Of the United Kingdom not a
dozen persons really knew what the
national insurance act was all about,
nor what 1t really meant.
AS matter Of fact the national in
surance act Is undoubtedly the most
complicated and intricate piece Of leg
islation undertaken by any modern
government. 1t Is also the most daring
and ambitious. The following para
graph can give only the barest outline
or the most important provisions. The
enterprise has two main branches:
First, to provide medicines and medi-
cal attendance free Of cost to every
workingman or workingwoman who
falls sick In all Great Britain. The
capitalized value of all the reserves
which must be provided to carry out
this service is estimated to be $685.
100000! Yet there will be no taint Of
pauperiZation connected with the
scheme; for not a single person will be
aided who does not in some degree,
commensurate with his means, contri-
butte to the fund
Second, to provide employment for
those out Of work.
This "stupendous attempt to promote
the health Of the English people" will
aid any employed person whose income
does not exceed $500 a year. The enor-
nous amount necessary for its opera
tion will be obtained from three
sources: the government, the work.
man himself and his employer
The, proportionate share Of the con-
tributing parties varies. In general,
for male laborers it Is provided that
the state shall pay four cents a week,
the laborer himself eight cents and his
employer six cents, total Of 1886 a
year. In the case Of women the state
pays four cents, the laborer six cents
and her employer six cents-$8.32 a
year. However, in case the daily wage
Of laborer does not exceed thirty
cents, he Is not required to pay any
thingI the state paying six cents and
the employer twelve cents weekly.
In every case the duty of seeing that
the contributions are paid rests upon
the employer. He Is held responsible
not only for his own share, but that Of
his employee. He Is therefore permit
ted to hold out his employees share
from his wages, provided he does so
Immediately.
Every person regularly employed
whose annual wage does not exceed
$500 must, according to the national in
surance act, be insured, no matter
what the character Of his employment
may be-cabman or clergyman.
Each insured person may receive a
weekly sum Of $2.40-$1.80 In the case
Of women-beginning on the fourth
day Of his illness and continuing for
twenty six weeks. In case of illness for
a longer period, $1.20 week shall be
paid throughout the period Of illness,
either for man or woman. But before
either Of these stipends can be collect
ed it Is necessary for the laborer to
have paid his weekly dues for q period
Of twenty-six weeks for the $40 sti-
pend or 104 weeks for the $1.20 a week.
This, 1t should be understood, is In ad-
dition to the free medicines and free
medical attention to be rendered, and
Is designed to aid the sick person or
his family while he is sick or out Of
employment.
Not only Is an insured person entitl-
ed to free medicine free medical atten-
ton, and, after the stated period, a
weekly benefit in cash, but, should he
contract tuberculosis or any equally
grave disease, he Is entitled to free
treatment in a sanitorium throughout
the remainder Of his life.
An insured married woman, or the
wife Of a man who Is insured Is to re-
ceive a maternity benefit Of $7.20 at
the time Of confinement. The married
woman who Is herself insured receives
this sum in addition to the usual rate
paid weekly to insured women during
sickness. The intention is to provide
with 1t the services Of a competent
physician or midwife.
These are some of the main provi-
sions Of Part of the oct. Part II is
taken up with a scheme Of compulsory
insurance against unemployment in
the following seven trades-building,
construction of works, shipbuilding,
mechanical engineering, iron founding,
construction Of vehicles, saw-milling.
1t is estimated that some 100000
work people Of 1S years and upward
will come within its provisions at the
outset. Deserving workmen will be paid
$1.75 a week while unemployed, up to
maximum Of fifteen weeks in any
twelve months, and will be aided in OBJ
tanning employment. A beneficiary
must have been employed in one Of
the seven trades for period Of at least
twenty-six weeks during the preceding
five years; must be capable Of work
and unable to get it; and must not
have exhausted his right to benefit
A phase of the endless discussion
aroused by the act Is the furious indig-
nation of householders over the inclu-
sion Of domestic servants in its provi-
sions.-New York Sun.