Imperial Valley press., 1918-07-30

proposition to amend the state con-
stitution so that unemployed persons
and their children can be ignored and
]outlawed for a scheme for compul-
sorv health insurance formulated by
the state social insurance commission.
The way is already open, without any
constitutional amendment, to estab-
hsh a lust system of health insurance
applicable to all people alike without
favor or discrimination; but the So
cial insurance commission and Its
friends are not promoting such a
system.
| Rather they are seeking power to
put in operation a scheme of ihsur-
ance which will ignore the very peo-
pie who most need help, that Is, the
Eunemployed and their families. But
the state constitution stands i'll the
way of such injustice and discrimina-
ton. Hence the constitution Is to be
wrecked by treacherous Amendment,
unless the voters at the November
election are awake to the dang>t.,
Equality Before the Law.
The fundamental principle of our
government is the equality of all men
before the law. This principle had
its origin in the statement OF Holy
Writ, "God is no respecter OF per-
sons" and in the immortal sentiment
of the Declaration of independence,
l"All men are created equal In order
that this principle of equal rights to
, all and special privileges to none
, should remain forever inviolate, 1t
, has been Incorporated in our state
a constitution. This precaution has
t been taken because human experience
: has proved over and over again that
legislatures, commissions, boards and
:, iother groups of men invested with
moments brief authority have beer
prone to mete out favoritism on the
one hand or unjust discrimination or
the other.
Accordingly the people of C"'ifor
d mia have written in the constitution
e of this state these provisions:
n "All laws of a general nature shall
have uniform operation; and
again. "Nor shall any citizen, o. elias:
Iof citizens, be granted privileges o.
y immunities which, upon the same
! terms, shall not be granted to al
persons
Constitutional Provisions.
y If these constitutional provisions
had been written into the organic
law of Germany fifty years ago, ant
!. had been observed, there could hay;
Y been no war. They Offend no lar
: who understands the spirit OF free
n government, but they are stumbling
block to every advocate of privilege
= OF oppression.
: They stand squarely in the way, not
c ot health in,u"ance, but of the lis
c,;rinatory type of health insuranc,
which our state social insurance CT
9 9..ssion is trying to force upon {"
ifornia.
: The legislature now has ample ar'
: thority to provide any just system oi
T health insurance. No constitutions
amendment is necessary. In flct tho
law already provides for such a Eys'
them and has put it in successful op'
y L, alton through labor un on,, frater-
ral societies and employers olgaEi'
zations.
{ The state social insurance commits
u sion and its friends, however, de-
mand power to establish an uaJus'
and discriminating system; Ina IS
they propose to favor certain classes
- and discriminate against others. Sii &C
the constitution Of the state viii not
permit such injustice, the conmiS-
. sion proposes, by amendment, to de
stroy the constitution in so far a.
it protects the liberties of the people
!, in the matter Of health insurance.
Outlawing the Unemployed.
, The first definite purpose OF the
proposed amendment to the coostitu-
ton is to give the state Legislature
= and the state social insurance com
, mission power to ignore such persons
as may suit their purpose, and espe-
} ca,ly to ignore or outlaw the unem-
ployed. The commission proposes to
confer the benefits of the ms rance
upon persons having an employer and
; to deny such benefits to all other
} rcopIe. The benefits Of the .nsur-
ancc are to run to the employe him
self and TO his or her children and
, dependents, but not to any person,
nor to his family or children, who
has no employer, either because he
sick or otherwise unable 10 find
work or because he is working for