Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1919-02-14
WHY STATE INSURANCE.

WHY STATE LNsURANCE7
Duluth Labor World. The lobbyists
for the private insurance companies
love to link zlabor's demand for a state
insurance law with Prussian paternal-
ism. "It's the first wedge of Social
ism,'' they declare, "and it will he fol-
lowed by more radical measures This
sort of opposition takes for time, but
they are not sincere in their arguments,
which are advanced merely to save
their necks.
They had their faithful servant, w.
A. Pittinger, introduce a bill in the
house, which if passed will compel ev-
cry employer in the state who is not
rich enough to insure himself, to carry
insurance in one Of their proit-hungry
companies. They are not opposed to a
sort of paternalism that will force resi-
dents of this state to pay regular tri-
butte to them, such as the Pittinger bill
would do. That kind is very fine and
very appropriate, because it is kind
that mulcts dollars from the people and
brings immense profits to them.
The state administration of the work
ingmen's compensation act would COM
pei every employer to pay his insurance
premium to the state, rather than to a
private company. The reason labor
wants the state to administer the fund,
which is. now administered by private
insurance companies, is that it will save
money for employers and will give lab
orers higher compensation. Last year
the insurance companies collected about
81 500, 900 from Minnesota employers,
and they only paid in compensation
$500, 900. About 100000 represents
cost and profit to the insurance COM
panies. Labor proposes, through state
administration, to save at least $780, 200
of this amount and to pay it in increas-
ed compensation to injured working
people and to the dependents Of de-
ceased working people. "A state fund
should be administered at a cost Of not
exceeding $150; 900 year.
This is the whole thing in nut
shell. The bill should he supported by
every man and woman in the state.
There is one thing that every one
who has been in the service, should do
if possible, and that is to maintain the
life insurance that was taken out while
in the service. Recently the treasury
department issued a letter addressed to
the soldiers and sailors covering this
matter. It is as follows:
approximately four million officers
and men of the Army and Navy are
now insured with the United States
Government for a grand total Of almost
thirty-seven billion dollars.
"You owe it to yourself and to your
family to hold on to Uncle Sam 8 insur-
ance. It is the strongest, safest, and,
cheapest life insurance ever written.
f'For your protection Uncle Sam has
established the greatest life insurance
company in the world-a company as
mighty, as generous, and as democratic
as the United States Government itself.
Just as Uncle Sam protected you and
your loved ones during the war, SO he
stands ready to continue this protec-.
tion through the days Of readjustment
and peace.
''The privilege of continuing your
Government insurance is valuable
right given to you as part of the COM
pensation for your heroic and triumph
ant services. If you permit the insur-
ance to lapse, you lose that right, and
you will never be able to regain it. But
if you keep up your present Insurance.
by the regular payment of premiums
you will be able to change it into a
standard Government policy without
medical examina ton. Meantime you
can keep up your present insurance at
substantially the same low rate. The
Government will write ordinary life in
surance, unemployment life, endow-
ment maturing at age 81, and other U.S.
ual forms of Insurance. This will be
Government insurance-at Government
rates.
The United States Government
through the Bureau of War Risk In
surance Of the Treasury Department
will safeguard you and your loved ones
with the spirit and purpose of Repub-
lie grateful to it's gallant defenders. To
avail yourself of this protection, you
must keep up your present insurance.
Garry back with you to civil life, as an
aid and an asset, the continued insur-
ance protection of the United States
Government.
Hold on to Uncle Sans Insurance.
STATE CAPITOL NOTES. -"
St Po,11 Mimi ,d,x,