The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-09-07
|yAR TALK ABROAD IS
ENOUGH TO MAKE ONE
TREMB[E, sATSF# HBtT
German Border Like
Military Camp, With Britain
+ Discussing National Defense =
WELFARE WORK ADVANCED
Lloyd George Pension Plan Won
derful Step in Economics,
Declares Detroit Visitor

War talk abroad Is enough to make
Z bne tremble, according to Frederick
~. Holt, OF No. 1l6 Boston-blvd., who
has Just returned from a three
months visit In England, Belgium,
Germany, Switzerland and France.
III In Strasburg, Germany. Mr.. Holt
law II regiments, and In GobientZ
10000 troops were Quartered In town
bf $4,000 population, while the entire
I border between France and Germany
(, fesembled n military camp. On the
L French side, the war spirit was sum-
he'd up by leading resident OF Paris,
Who said to Mr.. Holt:
AS long as a German lives in AL
lace, no French soldier should be
buried In France"
In England five weeks OF motoring
Through the country, revealed that
the general public there is discussing
tense with the same familiarity that
americans would talk OF the tariff,
and questions Of finance.
Another great topic OF discussion
N England now" said Mr.. Holt. is
he administration of the Lloyd
, Beorge pension law. England had
been behind the procession in the
natter of workmen's welfare, but
when she finally woke up to the needs
] cf the situation, this new pension law
that she has adopted. has proven 70
De one Of the greatest steps that the
world has ever known.
England has had plenty OF money
70 spend for good roads and parks.
and the owners of great estates have
been able to spend large sums In inn
provements, but until now little at
tention was given to welfare matters,
md the extremes Of poverty and
wealth there are painfully marked.
"One of the influences that keeps
the English workingman from reach
ing the standard of his American
brother, Is the fact that free educa-
lion In England is not provided for
children above the age OF IA, and you
do not find there the educated me-
chanics that our high schools give to
American industry.
And right here comes one difficulty
about the operation of the pension
law. I found that the better educated
and more intelligent working people
received IL with enthusiasm, but with
such extremes of poverty and wealth
as there are In England, there is a
great mass of what you might call
riff-raff. These do not understand the
hew law and they resent the fact that
they are compelled to share in pro-
yiding the pension funds. More than
that they are prone to oppose any
thing In the way of change"
Because OF the active part he took
n welfare questions when he was
tice-president OF the Board of Com
therce, Mr.. Holt was deeply interest
ID In organizations known as labor
Exchanges that he found all through
England. These he said, held monthly
meetings for an exchange Of views be-
tween employers and employees, and
Conducted their business much as
would be the case II the labor unions
here sent committees to meet commit
tees from the employers protective
associations.
Among other things that impressed
, him on his interesting trip was the
popularity OF outdoor life in England,
people with knapsacks on their backs
being seen everywhere taking long
Z walks through the country and cycling
and motoring being very much in
y Vogue. English sportsmen, he found,
we're already planning to send TO the
next Olympic games in Berlin a more
y Representative team than went TO
I The recent games that gave the high
Z est honors to Americans. The real
4 English athletes, he said. were ready