Evening journal., 1915-06-17
PROPOSE Government
Insurance against
SICKNESSFOR WORKERS

WASHINGTON. June IL There
are already several million wage
earners in the United States insured
in sickness insurance plars and or
ganizations. and sickness insurance
IS even now recognized almost uni
versally as the most feasible method
In which workers can meet the ex-
penses and the loss OF wages occa-
stoned by ill-health. The great ma
iority Of the insured workers. how-
ever. are the better paid: the low
paid worker who is least able to meet
the cost of sickness and to weather
the periods of unemployment that
sickness forces upon him, is rarely
insured. The development of the ex-
isting agencies and organizations in
TO national or State systems Of sick
ness insurance similar to those which
have been so effective in European
countries. is tho next step for the
United States.
These are striking facts brought
out in a renort on sickness Insurance
10 the Federal Commission of In
dustrial Relations prepared by Sur
geon r. S. Warren. Of the United
States Public Health Service who was
detailed as sanitary adviser to the
commission. and Edgar Svdenstricker.
a member Of the commissions staff.
according 70 an announcement by
the Bureau Of the Putt Health
Service here.
The report includes the results OF
study Of the various sickness in
surance systems in Europe and Of
plans in the United States. II strong
" advocates governmental svstem
in which EMPLOYERS. employees and the
public contribute 10 tho fund and CO.
oner8te in its control and ad~'~'s-
tration. and which IS closely linked
to the governmental health nromoting
AGENCIES p as the most effective from
all sickness insurance for wage work
ers The renOrt points out that in
rearlv all Fnrcrean countries tl,e
private sickness insurance plans and
methods have given wav 10 govern
r''ertaI systems and the governments
ri svstems now exist IN Great Rritain,
Germany Austria. Norway Servia.
Russia. Luxemhurg. Roumania. ttalv
(for minersl and France (for miners.
seamen and railway emnloves.)
The chief SHORTCOMINGS of nriva'e O
o- nom n-governmental sick henofit
nlans in this country are pointed out
10 he: On the low maid worker who
is financially unable to nrovide for
healthful conditions of living and 10
meet the cost Of illness. Is not insur-
ed: (2l the emnloyer ~ we'll as tho
emDlove has not 2 sufficient incen-
tive to reduce the prevalence Of dis
ease in their nlsces OF work and in
the homes NJ workers; f3N there Is no
close correlation of sickness insur-
ance with the puhlic health depart
ment. bureaus and boards.
A governmental system Of sickness
insurance. says the report will prove
TO be a preventive measure as well
as p method Of enabling the low-naid
worker to tide over periods OF sick
ness. since the cost OF insurance Is
determined by the amount Of sick
ness to he provided for. The lowei
/ the sick rate nf any industry. trade nj
/ locality. the lower is II possible .,
put the rate OF contribution by EN-
ployer. employe and government.
governmental system necessarily i'm
plies that all workers Of a trade ol
an industry in any locality will b'
insured. This will IL Is believed. en-
able the cost of insurance ner insured
person TO be much less than Il now
provides for in tho trade union. EN-.
plcyers' sick benefit funds. and NUT.
ual benefit societies