Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-05-03
SWEDEN.

According to the old-age pension
law Sweden is divided into about 2,S00
pension districts. With a population
Of about 5,2500O0 for the whole king
dom, every pension district approx
mately comprises 1900 persons. About
! one-haH OF these are liable to compul-
sorry contribution. Every Swedish
man and woman above the age of six
teen wears is subject to compulsory
insurance until the completion of his
or her sixty-sixth year The following
are exempted; Persons who are per-
manently incapacitated for work, ev-
| cry state employee entitled to a pen
sion, elementary sch0olteachers, mem
bers of the army and navy, ministers
OF religion and the wives of persons
thus exempted. Other persons en-
titled TO some other pension may be
exempted by the crown from the liza
bility to pay the contribution. The
pension contribution amounts to 81
cents per annum This contribution
is increased by "a cents for incomes
of from $135 to $216: by s1.35 for in
comes OF from $216 to 1924, and by
| S2.70 for incomes of 1924 and over
The benefits of the insurance consist
in an invalidity pension in the case
of permanent incapacity for work. or
in an old-age pension on attaining
six+y-seven years of age, even II, in
the latter case, permanent incapacity
for work has not yet set in. The an
nual pension amounts to 30 per cent
! for men and "a per cent for women of
| the total pension contributions paid
Pensioners who are permanently in
capacitated for work, whose annual in
| come does not exceed Ss1 (men) or
| S77.60 (women) receive an addition to
| their pension out of the exchequer,
which, with respect to an annual in
come not exceeding $3.50, amounts
| to $1,000 for men and $3.50 for wom-
en-, and decreases with respect TO a
higher income by one-half the annual
| income. By virtue of the voluntary
insurance, every Swedish subject who
| has reached fifteen years of age may,
| by paying contributions not exceeding
a total amount of $50 per annum, be
come entitled to a higher pension than
that provided for in the act; with re-
| spect TO all voluntary contributions
| paid within each calendar year, an
amount equal to one-eighth of the said
contribution is added out of the ex-
chequer the annual amount of the
pension in respect of a man consists
of ~ per cent In the case of volun
tary contributions. in the case Of a
woman of one-sixth less. All the con
tributions are paid into pension fund
The threatened cabinet crisis over
the war-trade bill has been averted by
an agreement accepted by all the par
ties. The bill passed both chambers
without debate. all parties agreeing
The bill is a compromise measure in
that it obliges the authorities to con
suit experts when violations are to be
prosecuted. and prosecutions can only
be undertaken with the approval OF
the minister of justice. The bill aims
to prevent Swedish merchants from
signing declarations or agreements
not in accordance with the neutrality
! and dignity of Sweden, or which are
Likely TO enable foreign powers to con
trCl or influence Swedish trade abroad
! or at home 1t provides heavy pun
isnment for the breaking of any dec
laration OF origin or destination given
TO a foreign power under the approval
| OF the Swedish government. All such
declarations will be under control and
supervision of the Swedish authori-
ties, thus giving the foreign power a
REINFORCED guaranty. The original bill
sought to give the government arbi-
trary rights beyond parliamentary con
troll regarding all arrangements for
foreign trade and the transit of for.
eign goods through Sweden. Stock
holm dispatches said Premier Ham
marskiold had threatened TO resign II
the bill were not passed without alter
alton.