New-York tribune., 1922-04-02

holes and work or mainten-
4 - ance' banners in their hands.
arch in hundreds past Trafalgar
Sauare and down the Strand. Yet over
,te;r after-dinncr coffee taxpayers in
.;<. the nation is being fceced to sup
= t,ort those who viii not work. Doles
sor the unemployed are on the grill
n British public opinion.
The number of unemployed in Great
Rritain has lowered around the 2,00o,-
oao mark for a year, with a decided
increase during the coal strike in the
middle OF the summer. Though each
-ew report registers slight decrease
n the total few thousands make but
little impression on millions. The
latest figures put the estimate at
isssl5. To each or these workers
the Ministry of Labor is paying n
ueekly dole. In addition, its funds are
- subject to the claims of almost 5000
workers on short time.
GREAT Di lbhiii puI-
sorry unemployment insurance more
than decade ago. The plan started
in few specified industries with
100000 workers, doubled the number
il 1916 and increased it to 100000
in 1890 Practically all workers ex-
eept agricultural laborers and do
nestle servants are included.
Employees are required to pay out
Of. their weekly wages specified sum,
to which their employers add slightly
mcre, and the government one-fourth
Of the combined contributions. Pay
ments vary for men, women and non
adults. Benefits are paid TO men,
Qualifying under the provisions of the
act, at the rate of is shillings a week
and to women at the rate of ~
specified period of less than six months
and thereafter for twenty six weeks Of
each. insurance year. Extensions may
be made by special provisions. An ad-
,ditonal scheme allows S shllings a
week for dependent husband or wife
and shilling for each child.
Unemployment Insurance
Cost to Exchequcr Shown
;, The annual cost of unempl loyment in
surance to the Fxchequer has been
s5,i91 900, to which the recent unem-
,.plcyed workers dependents act will add
y something over million. But this
represents only fraction of the total
Expense. Estimates of. benefits for the
+, coming year amount to more than
: $4,000 900. Everything is being paid
out; scarcely anything in comparison
=. comes into the funds.
80 But the heaviest cost. critics say. is
.,,sst. in. pounds and shillings. The in
a saranec scheme. it is true, working
through national employment ex-
changes, IS sufficiently safeguardcd to
insure payments only to the deserving
unemployed. The worker bears his
ialr share of the burden; and men are
excluded from benefit if out of work
Is the result of dismissal through mis-
f.. conduct voluntary withdrawal or
strikes. Comparatively few men, more
over, would be lured from job hunt
!ng by the equivalent of SIS week for
family of five.
But the poor law goes on where the
insurance act leaves off AS the mum.
pef OF unemployed steadily rose the
. Ministry Of Labor approached insol
Vency Benefits were reduced last year
from 20 to Is shillings week. Trade
unions Tor time made up the differ
ehee. But payment last year of $40.
ooVooo IN benefits drained their treas
ufies' Long before that private say
ihgs were largely gone.
The poor law became the only resort
noardS Of guardians were called upol
10 provide out of local funds extr;
eoies to supplement- the inadeouat,
payments under the insurance act. Ii
'ne last year the number of recipient,
Of such relief have increased 29o pe
cent. Some of the unemployed. as
,eSul'' are receiving from combine,
'ehehts as much and even more thai
o'hers who are entirely self support
ins' Especially where systematic shor
'ifne mas been Instituted men 'employe,
'"uer II and falling outside the scop
VI 'ne act fare worse financially thai
''nose IN receipt OF full relief.
NO sooner had few stories of thi
nature begun TO circulate than tn
storm Of criticism broke. Opinion va
f!es from protests that the scale of re
'Nei IS altogether insufficient to tn
,uea that unemployment over Who'll
"'s'flcts may be attributed to doles. O.
'eo'eh men may live without the neces
s''' OIL WORK. Tales have been re
'0uh'ed OF lavish expenditure of dol
i"'hcy on all sorts of unaccustome
lu<hries, than Of the grumbling @
: u'isnoors who happened to be workin
.Vr iher living, and finally of tn
'"S'ehcsS OF men VINO preferred to liv
On the public.
Man Who Discovered Dole
lSceedcd Pay Quit Work
iheso doles are whatI call scanda
@ as SAID ono woman of East Londor
NY brother-in-law went to work o