The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-01-25
LABOR FEDERATIONS
MAKING NEW DRIVE FOR
HEALTH INSURANCE

NEW 1Onh, Jan. lZ-OTRdnlZeu
labor is giving strong impetus to
universal health insurance for wage
earners and prevention of sickness,
as need emphasized by the war.
The advanced action recently taken
by the declarations in California,
Wisconsin, New Jersey and New
York is regarded as positive in
dication of the growing conviction
among the unions that health in
surance must come soon in this
country along the lines of similar
protection afforded the workers in
Europe.
At the New York State Federation
of Labor conference at Albany, Jan.
8, with $50 delegates in attendance,
a resolution was adopted without
a dissenting vote endorsing universal
health insurance and including this
measure in the Federation's immed-
ate legislative program.
Two days previously the Joint
State Labor Legislative Board of
New Jersey, composed of the organ
lied labor bodies, including repres-
entatives of the railroad brother
hoods, re-affirmed the Federation's
earlier approval of workmen's health
insurance and recommended that
such legislation make adequate pro-
visions for the needs and rights of
the workers themselves. This res
olution expressing labor's attitude
declared that "the most careful con-
sideration be given to the rights of
the worker to adequate medical care
with free choice of physician; that
the cash benefit be fixed at two
thirds of wages, in proportion to
wages received up to $12 a week,
but shall not be less than SIS weekly;
that all workers be included in the
system without physical examination;
and that there be provided equal
representation and equal contribu-
tons by employees and employers
in mutually managed insurance funds
to be conducted without. and
with emphasis on sickness proven
tion."
Official commissioners from nine
states at the annual meeting of the
Association for Labor Legislation in
Philadelphia, December 81, expressed
general agreement that such pro-
lection for workers is inevitable, and
Assemblyman Oil announced that
the Wisconsin State Federation of
Labor has unanimously approved I'M
iversal health insurance. A report
was also received of the endorse
ment of health insurance by the
State Federation in California.
Public Officials Urge Action.
Meanwhile public officials are paw
ing the way for legislation. Gov
ernor Edge of New Jersey in his
message to the legislature week
ago urged immediate consideration
of health insurance as war meas
ure, "to conserve the physical vigor
of our people through the prompt
and sure relief of economic dis
tress due to sickness as we'll as
through stimulation of preventative
action in our industries" This recon-
mendation followed the recent report
of the legislative investigating COM
mission which unanimously favored
health insurance for wage workers
in New Jersey as "a need accent
uated by the war;"
Gov. Mccall of Massachusetts,,
again urging the enactment of a
health insurance law, devoted a
large part of his message last week
to the pressing need of health in
surance for the workers in war
time, saying: Good authorities de-
clare that for every man on the
battle front seven are required at
home to keep him an effective fight
ing unit. No subject can better en-
gage your attention at a time like
this than that which relates to
the conservation of the human re-
sources of the commonwealth and
the preservation and the efficiency
of her men and women. A compre-
hensive system which would so far
as possible do away with the waste
resulting from accident and sickness
would be a wise, humane and bene-
ficient measure. 1t would strength
en- the hands of the country in war,
and would result in the saving of
very many millions of dollars each
year to the commonwealth.
Very much is to be said even in
war time = especially in favor
of the immediate conservation of
the health of our workers"
The American Labor Legislation
Review, just issued, is devoted en-
tifely to workmen's health insurance