The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-02-17
SOCIAL INSURANCE.

New York Call: The introduction
OF a health insurance bill into the
legislature of New York has TO-
cussed attention once again upon the
question of social insurance. And it
is a noteworthy fact that the ten
dency is in the direction of more and
more of this form of activity on the
part of the state.
The United States has Jagged far
behind every other country in the
world in the adoption of social insur-
ance, and it was not until a few years
ago that the notion of doing things
collectively penetrated our. individu-
alistic heads. But the principle is
now established. and it is but a ques-
ton of applying it as widely as pos
sble
The Workmen's compensation law
that is in operation in this state, and
under which hundreds of thousands
of workers are protected from the
wolves of capitalism in the event of
their in jury while at work, is the
fruit of Socialist and labor agitation.
For all the years that went before
workers were "protected'' by the So
called "defenses"; that is, if worker
were injured at work he could sue in
the courts, and the master as he
is termed in the law, had three bull
warks: He could say that the work.
er had no one to blame but himself,
because Of the assumption of risk
when he entered an employment tina,
he could see was dangerous; or he
was guilty of "contributory negH-
sence"; or his FELLOW servant" was
at fault. and the master was free
of blame.
Conservatives argued learnedly for
decades, saying that the courts were
sufficient protection to the workers
in case of accident, and year after
year, the terrible toll of industrial
accidents grew greater and greater.
Statisticians showed that it was not
the fault of the workers. but the
fault of the industrial conditions
under which. they had to work-or
else go voorhees,, and. consequently
bread1ess. Social workers showed the
terrible suffering that the workers
underwent when they were injured
enthusiastically Socialist law
ySIS~SIOWeu tlo terrific ulSHuVd0l-
ages they labored Under when they
entered the courts to collect dam
ages.
But it took decades of agitation
work by the Socialists and the forces
of labor to get the people of the state
educated up to the point of passing
even the imperfect law that we have
now
We are now discussing health in
! surance. There are also unemploy-
ment insurance, maternity insurance
and various other subdivisions. But
| the principle in each case is the
same it is that all men and women
are mutually interdependent: that it
is of profound Importance to lis tina:
! our fellow workers be we'll; that
their wives should not be driven into
Industrial life-if they must work.
! up to the week before childbirth.
and back again week later; that
| workers, when they take sick, should
! not have to depend on their scanty
savings, no. upon the charity OF
| others or of the state, but upon their
| own collective action taken through
| the state.
Health is social matter. Uncm-
ployment is social matter. And
| every social matter is a matter that
concerns us all.
A worker who must tramp the
streets for Il job loses much of his
! manhood A worker who is insured
against unemployment loses none OF
his manhood. 4 worker who must
! arise from a sickbed before he is we'll
to compete with others for jobs in
lures all workers. A worker who is
insured, and kept wholesome and
comfortable until he is perfectly we'll,
is far better citizen, and will do
better for the state.
The principle is established, and 1t
| is marching on. 1t does not matter
that each fight is over some little
matter. 1t does matter that society
is learning that we are all each
| others keepers.
1t will no. abolish capitalism, nor
will it destroy injustice. But social
insurance will 60 very far in the di-
| rectjon of salving the human wreck
age that has been u disgrace to our
/ civilizations; it will go very far in the
| direction of making our men and
women fit and ready for the big fight
to: overthrow capitalism.
The masters are all against it. The
workers should be unanimously for 1t.
Thoro l,oc hoon uerio,,S ont.