The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-11-07
sURvERsIvE LEGISLATION.
(By Alfred w. Kliefoth, A. b.,

"A pCAoOu ouppOILluS several pOllCl6S
in fraternal insurance society is not
deeply interested in the so-called So
cial insurance legislation. To him
this agitation appears to be annoying
ly radical. His views are influenced
by the very nature of his protection,
and his first actions are consequently
very conservative. Social insurance,
undoubtedly, is meaningless to him,
or at the most, it is merely fad, a
passing show of the present decade.
The general elections throughout
the various states do not verify the
above criticism. Social insurance has
assumed real earnestness; in fact,
so serious that large number of
men who formerly shrugged their
shoulders and then forgot about it
are now engaged in studying the prog.
ress of insurance legislation, and the
controlling factors. Several states in
the union are contemplating to enter
into the insurance business.
The high cost of government no
doubt is influenced by the added num-
Der Of state employees and thus the
rule seems to be that the number and
size of budgets is directly proportional
to the number of employees and size
OF the office. This consideration,
however, should not be the standard
in defining the rights and duties of
the state government, nor of any other
government. The question involved
is not one of efficiency nor of costs
and profits, but one of principle. The
fundamental principle of the Ameri-
can form of government is a repre-.
sentative government. The powers in.
vested in the government, and in the
case of the federal government the
powers delegated by the respective
states, are supposedly equally bal
anced among that of the executive,
the legislative and judiciary. The
individual and property rights of each
citizen, or person coming under the
jurisdiction of that government are
adequately protected. Today in spite
OF these guarantees, there has grown
up system of paternalism, which has
resulted in extravaganza, waste, and
an intricate multiplicity of offices and
jobs. This is not a defect of the
foundation of our government, but a
result of an energetic activity on the
part of politicians. And socialism has
thus been able to intrench itself. A
large part of this so-called activity or
social legislation is not essentially
wrong. On the contrary, it is neces.
sary and even vital. That we need in.
dustrial compensation acts, health
bureaus, old age insurance and what
not, there can be no doubt, but wheth.
er this activity should be shouldered
by the state in competition with
private corporations and organiza.
tons, is not merely undesirable and
unhealthy, but wrong and subversive
OF the rights and privileges of the in.
dividual citizen.
Man precedes the state" says Pope
Leo XIII, "and possesses, prior to the
formation of any state, the right of
providing for the sustenance of his
body. The state must not absorb the
individual or the family, both should
be allowed free and untrammelled &C.
ton so far as is consistent with the
common good in the interests Of
others. 1t should be borne in mind
that the chief thing to be realized is
the safeguarding of private property by
legal enactment and public policies. ("
State insurance, state this or state
that, is, indeed, not a guarantee in
safeguarding private property. In this
particular the state is not protecting,
but directing private endeavor; it is
not encouraging private business, but
competing with private business. This
condition of affairs is commonly
known as socialism; when it correct
ly should be called indifferentism
Men of influence, officers of organiza.
lions, yea, the average citizen is too
Indifferent to the needs of his fellow.
men. He does not heed the cries of
the restless masses, his eyes sense
not the ills of the day. Social legisla,
ton is not an evil, it is necessity; it
Is an evil, however, when in the hands
OF a paternalistic government. The
weaker members of the society. the
less clrcumstanced need protection by
the government, but not charity-his
fellowmen, and not his government
are bound in duty to correct those con.
dltions which Cypress and suppress
MIN. 1t is the citizen, not the govern
ment, that should participate in this
activity, and then social service. and
not socialism will be ever present.
Catholic Study Clubs.
Typical of the large number Of
Catholic Study clubs is that of the
Milwaukee County Federation of Cath.
olic Societies of Wisconsin,. These
clubs are gradually taking the place of
the lecture series which have been
very popular in past years, but not