The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-01
ITALY TO INACCURATE
 GOVERNMENT LIFE

While the United States is inaugur-
 atinS today a tentative experiment
 with the parcels post-long an instttl1-
 ton in E1rope-the nonarchfcaI gov
 ernment of Italy will today take an-
 other long step toward Socialism by establishing a governmental Institu-
 te of Insurance, the end and aim of
 which, to be accomplished within the
 next few years, will be a, monopoly
 of all life insurance by the State. By
 the terms of the measrffe passed by l the Italian Parliament, the institute
 will begin its work today, and will
 gradually take over all the business
 of Italian life insurance companies
 and foreign concerns now operating in l that country. When the governm ent
 monopoly has become complete, it is
 expected to result in vast additions
 to the exchequer, and all profits will 1 be added to the workfng gmen'S old age pension fund. Under the latter sys- | tenn, life insurance will be made conn I pUlsory for many classes of laborers As in the United States the express interests have bitterly fought, and for years prevented, all attempts to es- powerful insurance interests brought every influence to bear against the government insurance monopoly meas uTe. TIle ambassadors to Italy from the Limited States, Great Britain, France and other nations protested vigorously against tlae bill, but with however, whereby the expulsion of the about grad ua1iy. The worktngmen's pension fund is to be raised by an in wages of all civil and military ser wants of the government. The ex- pertinent, when carried to completion, will be watched with interest fby off cials of all governrn ents.
 Most of the kings, emperors and North and South America will hold New Year receptions to-day. The functions at the White House in Washington and the EHysee Palace in Paris will be the last Of their kind in which President Taft and Presi- dent F!allferes will participate. Papa F'allieres w1n bid adietx to greatness on Feb. IT next. although his success sor has yet to be named.
 That fornla1ity will be attended to by the National Assembly, which month. At the White House the Pres ident stations himself in rihe Blue Room, and shakes hands with long procession of people, ambassadors and other diplomats being given prece- dence, followed in order by members of the Supreme Court, senators, repre- other officials Of the government, the common garden citizens bringing up the rear Alt most of the royal and imperial courts of Europe the New Years Day program begins with d4- vine services, followed by receptions to ambassadors and a long line of nota- bies. Some years ago, when King AL fonso was considerably younger and less weighed down by cares of state than now, he enlivened the function on one memorable occasion by tweakirg the queue of the Chinese arns1assador- He could not repeat that trick today, even if so inclined, because all Chi nese dignftar1es have discarded the ''pig-tail.'' The New Year Of America and Western Europe will be celebrated in China, more generally today than ever before, owing to the fact that the %6lel ,I~SS,E 1E the. Occident It is likely, however. that for many years to come the masses of Chinese will cling to the cient method of reckoning time, ac- cording to which New Years Day us- ual1y comes the latter part of January or in February.