The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-02-05

III ZIG CASc Oh uIu0SS IIOm worry 0S WI
the future. must increase the efficiency
Of labor. In no way can this be done
30 cheaply as by q scientific system OF
insurance such as the act provides.
The increased efncienoy Of the worker
will be TAR In excess Of the total cost
OF insurance under the scheme. Az
employers pay only a small part Of the
cost. 1t may be anticipated that they
win in the long run receive Dement'S
far out-weighing their contributions.
Relieves Undesersed Poverty.
In judging the act" continued Mr..
Smith. you must not consider 1t a.
. nnal measure. II IL only . start
though a good start-in the campaign
for establishing q minimum standard
Of living and comfort below which NO
:Briton shall fall. unless It b through
deliberate fault Of his own. To prop
,orly Judge this act you must regard It
- part only Of . wider program for
dealing with tho preventable causes Of
poverty and unemployment and rails
ing the standard Of living for the work
ing classes in this country. Poverty
and unemployment have existed and
still exist in every country and under
every form Of government. Like dis
ease and death. they cannot b wholly
banished by act Of parliament The
insurance act strikes ct certain causes
Of poverty and unemployment: which
are preventable. In conjunction with
the workmen's compensation acts, the
old age pensions act. the public health
acts, and the factory acts. all measures
of social reform, which seek to make
tomorrow world better than our.
world today. the insurance act endeav-
on to remove poverty and distress due
to accident. sickness. infirmity. old
age. insanitary workshops and un-
healthy dwellings,. 1t attacks the slum
owner, penalixes the sweater and
makes the health of the people tha
1irst care of the state. It lays broad
end firm the foundations Of q new so.
cial policy-a policy Of mutual help
and good will among all members Of
the community. based upon a recogni-
ton of the fact that the undeserved,
poverty or undeserved unemployment,
Of the humblest mamber of society H.
something which closely affects the;
general well-being OF the state"
And Mr.. Calvert, who represents not
. Liberal-Labor constituency. but the
city which employs labor. gave en-
phatic assent.
10000 Get Sick Benefit Weekly.
Some things are certain in regard to
the acts workings. About 16.000.0 900.
persons In Great Britain and Ireland
are now insured against sickness,
when before the act there were about
Sp00, 900. The act raised the first year
$3.50. 100000. OF this amount the work.
men contributed $55,000.000, Twenty
thousand doctors are employed to give
free medical treatment and nine thou
sand chemists-who are the British
druggists-furnish free drugs. pre-,
scribed by these doctors. To the poor
est workingman is given the same
medical treatment and the same pure
medicines and drugs as the richest
duke can afford. About ST, 100000 has
been paid during the year to doctors
benefits are paid weekly to 100000
workers. The men get $3.50 a week
and the women $1.75 a week. because
they pay less.
Maternity benefits amounting to ST.
100000 have been paid. The birth
rate has at least not been discouraged.
For tuberculosis sanatoriums has been
Ia kN,-A uo
sand workmen have been treated I'M
der the act. $4,000 in sanatoriums.
These are the figures, but for the real
facts as to the benefits brought by
the act one must note the changed
conditions in the workingmen's homes,
see the cures wrought, the shadows
lifted. No man or woman In the
United Kingdom need lack. under this
act, insurance against sickness, unem-
pioyment or the unmerited poverty
which. to the underpaid. so frequently
comes with old age.
But IL this not queer business for .
great empire?
Let the best-hated and bestowed
statesman in Great Britain. the author
of the national Insurance act. David
Lloyd-George. make reply:
adds New Glory to Empire"
Since 1908. when we had old age
pensions for the firs& time. we have
had q great empire for the first time
taking . direct interest in the condi'
ton Of those aged. those infirm. those
sick. and those broken. The old the
ory was that this was beneath the dig
nifty Of an empire. The concern Of an
empire was to see that the machinery
of humaR slaughter was perfect. That
was the concern of an empire. To tai
the food of the people. that is think
ing imperially: but to heal the sick
to feed the hungry. these are thoughts
At only for = parish beadle. There wal
a great emperor once who added te
ttss luster Of his fame by visiting the
| WoundoA aftor tho hattie Nnv W.