156 BRITAIN FOR THE BRITON 



The Eeport itself has many references to the subject. Here 

 are a few of them — 



" The workiug-classes are well clothed and well educated, and 

 their interests are attended to by the State in a measure unknown in 

 other countries. In sickness they can claim relief at the hands of 

 the State ; in old age, and when incapacitated for work, they have 

 not got the workhouse or the poorhouse to look forward to, but a 

 certain fixed allowance, in return for which they are certain to have 

 a refuge for their declining years with their relatives and friends." * 



" There is a pension fund inaugurated by the firm for the men 

 over and above the State pension fund, and also a fund for giving 

 support to the employees during sickness, or when in special want 

 of aid. These are free gifts from the firm. A committee of the 

 men go into every application for aid, and decide whether the case 

 merits support. This is done in order to eliminate those who 

 simulate sickness or distress, and do away with any risks of reckless 

 benevolence." t 



" Throughout the whole Empire the provisions of the Imperial 

 social legislation are effective, and throughout that part of the 

 Empire through which we have been passing the action of the 

 employers is also effective. The German workmen are insured 

 against accidents, against sickness, and against infirmity and old 

 age. They have no premium whatever to pay for the insurance 

 against accidents, this being settled by the employers alone ; the 

 employers pay one-third, and the employed two-thirds of the premium 

 against sickness ; and the premium against old age and premature 

 infirmity is distributed equally between employers and employed. 



" The State further pays a contribution by undertaking all the 

 expense of administration, free of charge, and by adding a money 

 consideration to the old age and premature infirmity pensions." 



Pensions — a Eight, not a Charity 



" By being thus insured the workpeople acquire a right, as 

 citizens, to allowance in case of disability to work through accidents, 

 sickness, and premature infirmity or old age. These allowances are 

 not of the nature of donations to paupers ; but of allowances to 

 which they have acquired a right as citizens. In order to acquire 

 these rights as citizens, the workpeople also contribute to the 

 premiums, as well as the employer ; and the State, as a body, pays 

 the expenses of administration. These contributions of the em- 

 ployers, on the one hand, are necessarily a large financial burden on 

 production, which must not be overlooked ; and on the other hand, 

 the contributions of the State are made up by the whole mass of the 

 tax-payers, not only by the working people themselves." | 



* "Life and Labour in Germany," pp. 44, 45. 

 t Ibid., p. 63. X Ibid., p. 86. 



