The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-07
BRITISH HEADS
SEE MENACE IN
PENSION LAWS
New Plan Designed by Off.
Gals to Relieve Unempl0y.
ment Conditions
WOULD COST BILLIONS
One Person Of Every Twenty.
six in England Drawing
War Pension

London, Nov. 7.-(AP)-Creat
Britain's trend toward socialism has
been brought into sharp relief by the
conservative party's approval Of
state pensions for all persons over
IS years old.
Several classes of people in Eng
land are already entitled to certain
personal maintenance ut the ex-
pense Of the government and the
tendency is steadily. to increase the
number of persons receiving such
benefits.
Chief among these benefits is the
"dole" which gives unemployed per-
sons weekly wage ranging from IS
to SO. The amount is frequently
equal to all that the unemployed
person could earn when working full
time.
State Pays Expenses
The poor law guarantees every
destitute person the legal right to
food, shelter and clothing at the ex-
pense Of the state.
There is q state sickness benefit
for those who are out of work
through illness.
Wives in confinement are assured
Of state maternity benefit.
When man and his wife reach
IS years Of age they are assured Of
the old age pensions if they are out
of employment.
The government even pays for
the divorces Of poor people who
could not otherwise get legal relief.
New Plan Urged
The new rlan Of pensions for all
at 65 is designed Is . solution for
the unemployment problem. Near
" 1,250,0O0 people are out Of work
in England today. The pension ct
IS idea is to force elder persons out
Of competitive employment to make
room for younger people.
1t the proposed pension of $3.50
= week this new benefit will, when
put into effect, cost the govern
ment 81 Zoo, 00O, 900 Z year, rising
to . peak Of $4,000, 000, 900 in 1886.
This plan, advanced by the Tories,
is certain to have the support Of the
Liberal and Labor parties.
1t comes at . time when the gov
eminent has just discovered that
it is $125, 250, 900 in debt for "doles, !"
that is, the amount contributed in
stamps by workers and employers,
which totals about Is cents . week
for each worker, toward the unem-
ployment f',7d, il that much short.
Expenses Are Large
So far in 1928 the relief given
under the poor law has gone to
852, 900 individuals. In 1914 the
figure for the whole year was 49,
600 persons.
There are at the present moment
100000 persons in England Of the
wage-earning class protected 1t the
expense Of the government from ILL
health, accident, unemployment, old
age, life insu1 ance imposed or fur.
nished by the state.
Each week more than 1,25O,0O0
old age pensions are paid. This in
cludes widows between the ages Of
IS and 70, another class just re-
Gently put on the government pay
roll to the extent Of about $3.50 4
week for each Of them for the rest
Of their lives. There are nearly
100000 persons Of this class draw
ing governmental compensation.
Britain's bill for war pensions il
also . heavy burden to. the Elk
chequer. One person out Of every
twenty-six in England is drawing
. war pension. THIS makes Z total
Of 1865, 900 individuals who draw
this kind Of relief.
OF this number, $4,000 are off,
GERS or enough to administer the
whole standing army Of the United
States. The figure also includes
LOO nurses, 49,, 500 men, 4e2, 900
widows and parents, 10000 wives,
and 481, 900 children.