53 
adult who has been benefited by it, against such compulsory 
provision. The acceptance of paternal care and supervision by 
the individual from the State will—nay, must—bring in its train 
a strong curb upon individual liberty of action and procedure. 
Plainly, then, the principle of compulsory insurance must stand 
or fall solely upon the ground that it is or is not the best 
available method for bringing about the end which opponents 
and exponents have alike anxiously in view, the reduction and 
gradual extinction of pauperism, 
The only reliable way by which the idea of Compulsory 
Insurance could be tested, would be to select some single Poor 
Law Union, trace out its exact position, and show how it would 
be affected by the proposals in question. Acting upon this 
thought, I have obtained much valnable information from Poor 
Law, trades union, and other officials, bearing upon Poor Law 
relief, voluntary hospitals and homes, friendly society work, 
trade combinations, and payments therewith connected, also 
local savings throughout the Burnley Union. Permit me to say, 
in passing, that the Burnley Union offers just such a test as the 
advocates of Compulsory Insurance will be sure to welcome. 
Its population is not largely migratory, and the immense 
difficulties which would face and threaten to overwhelm the 
movement in cosmopolitan cities, such as Liverpool or Man- 
chester, are there practically absent. True, pauperism in the 
‘Burley Union, one in 80, is lower than the average in 
Lancashire, one in 61, or that of the North-Western Division, 
one in 59—but as a counterpoise there is a greater ability to pay 
any demands Compulsory Insurance might make. 
I should gladly weleome further facts in order to bring about 
a more accurate analysis, though I do not anticipate that any 
material change would thereby take place in the conclusions 
arrived at. If you refer to Appendix Table 2, you will find that 
insurance against pauperism in old age, if confined to males, 
would only benefit 11:1 per cent. of those in receipt of relief. 
If females were to be included, thus adding enormously to the 
difficulties attending Compulsory Insurance, the percentage still 
unaffected would be 70-2. The bulk of this startling percentage 
consists of destitute widows and children. You will have 
observed that the proportion of temporarily disabled, those who 
would come under the provision for the sick, is 2°5 per cent., 
reckoning males only. It is obvious that Compulsory Insurance 
against sickness amongst women would be attended by almost 
insurmountable obstacles, and yet when females have been 
added, the percentage of temporarily disabled reaches but 5:6 
per cent. I take it that even in Germany no attempt will be 
made to insure married women—in case of sickness. Supposing, 
for the sake of argument, that the system of Compulsory 
