THE LIBERAL POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 577, 4 August 1909, Page 7

THE LIBERAL POLICY.

CONTRIBUTORY INSURANCE, bills ahead. IF THERE IS NO "FOUL BLOW." ■ (By Telegraph,—Wcsa AHotlatlofl.—Oopyflchl.l (Rec. August 3, 9.55 p.m.) London, August 3. Speaking at Branksoino Park, Dorsetshire, tho President of the Board of Trade, Mr, "Winston Churchill, stated that before the present Parliament ends—"unless it is violently broken by a foul blow"—An oxtciiaivo measure of insuranco against unemployment would bo passed, based on tho principle that the workman is able to make some little weekly saorifice, to be joined by an employers' contribution and a State subvention. Tho Board of Trade is now elaborating tho soheme. ' Mr. Churchill further stated that the Chancellor of the Exchequer; Mr. LloydGeorge, will introduoe next year a scheme— working through tlia friendly societies—to enable householders to insure against sickness, invalidity, and death of. the breadwinner. INSURANCE AGAINST UNEMPLOYMENT. In discussing tho Government's scheme for contributory, insurance, against unemployment, Mr. Churchill, in. a recent speech, said it'had ' been argued that in adopting a policy of Contributory insurance the Government had admitted that they were wrong ..in/establishing old-age pensions upon a non-contributory basis. He did not .think that , was true. There was no inconsistency between a rioh-contribu-tory system of old-age .pensions and, a contributory system of insurance against unemployment, sickness, iuvalidity, Or widowhood.' The circumstances and conditions were entirely different. ', The fact that at Seventy old-age pensions wore Seoured made a . tremendous difference /to every ■ form fit insurance. An actuary , whom he _ had - asked to make calculations, said ,it was; ;• no - exaggeration to say that the rates of invalidity insurance to cover a man till >he was seventy were, in many cases, scarcely half what they would bofif tlieyliad to cover .him till death. • The decisive question was: Would the British _ working classes embrace tho opportunities Which would bo shortly offered them?. They were a new 'departure, and involved an .'cle-, ment of compulsion and regulation which was tmusu'.l in 'happy-go-lucky .linglisk life. ', He oonfessed lie. wblild work fy •such ' a policy' and try to carry it through, even-if. it were a . little unpopular at first, and ho would bo willing to pay the forfeit of an exclusion from power in order to carry it through, because he knew there was no other . way within tlie reach of the present .generation of ■ men- : 'aud Women by which the stream of prevontible Misery could be cut off. . .\- ■ INSURANCE AGAINST SICKNESS.' The feature of. the sickness scheme (say's a London paper) is that- it is to'be Worked in. co-operation with tho friendly societies, which presumably include trade. Unions giving 'similar bsneuts. Thus members who are riot in'arrears will not have the weekly deductions'made from their , pay- that non-nioi!ibers Will suffer, while enjoying equally , the addition of-contributions from.employers and tlio State. -' it At tho conference in 'Sheffield-of','the" Nottifigham, Order of Oddfellows, Mr,' Gilchrist,or Manchester,' gave the, following details -of the State; insurance scheme:— Five .shillings to men in sickness, whether temporary or. permanent, ..uukss receiving payments under the Workmen's Compensation Act. .Reorganisation by :, tho" Government of . the friendly.societies that, ard of a permanent or well-established character.. Dividing-clubs will not be included. ■ Membership of.-a sflciety will'be extended to every : worker, iuale or female, between sixteen and seventy. . t> '' .. ?'• •. x - Employers!,.week by! week will deduct, from' the : wagcs of ,the Worker 1 a. sum in- proportion to' age; - ' - ■', ■■ ■ :■ ~ - , - ■ [Mr. Gilchrist was-riot abloto.sav' amounts would; be,' bcctitifte iflte. aO-iial' calcula-tions-had not been completed. - .'iiiit' supposing the sum to. be deducted was thrccpenco,. the employer- would add one -penny, ,'urid tho State an amount equal to .that contributed by the' employer.] . '- ' ■ It - the. worker be a' inember of a friendly society recognised by.-,tho State, tho presentd-' tion to his employer of hie contribution card 6r a, Receipt foiv contributions .paid showing him hot,to be in arrcar will exempt him from deductions. . That 1 will not ixempt the "employer.or the State from paying , their share.No funeral benefit-is;'to; bo provided. ' The provision is for sickness, invalidity, and'medical and special aid, and Sanatoria.',: •; Members may insure for;any,amount'• larger than ss. per -week, which-is tho lhinimum.vbut there,will be no compulsion to'go beyond that amount. ... ■:'' '.. - , The, State, Mr. Gilchrist added, would insist upon solvency iri recognised, societies, but it w.as not intended ■ to,start, any State' of opposition soetetjv ' If tho friendly societies' carried out the scheme, ns friendly society members they hud nothing tofear.; : .1." '