OCR Text |
Show privilege are all guaranteed by J the Constitution. Uruguay was I one of the first countries in America Amer-ica to have the 8-hour-day, a "weekly rest" assured to urban and domestic workers, regulation of general working conditions, a children's code and council, old-age old-age pensions, minimum wages, indemnities in-demnities for industrial accidents and many other protective measures. meas-ures. V Applying to the national life of the country the saying of one of its outstanding philosophers, Ro-do: Ro-do: "Life is growth and change," Uruguay has added two words: " and progress." NEIGHBOR ILY ruOORKSSlVlO Vnr'itsolf in the Hold ' ve show, "the liberal it of the Uruguayans f 5 tiUins to expoH-J expoH-J ' , notional dost my' and been such pioneers in ' h i industrial legislation. f out country indeed, constitution Itself have ;vS 1 related to the social ?,VliU the state? Whore again w Govemme.it undertake :fp ";er administration of vita- Cmlns to Its people,? T Uruguay It does that and much more. Kur-thermoro, Kur-thermoro, "to tnlerpret die wishes f t'o people, (ho Government gradually but unswervingly na-tioiuili-.-.es the public services a function It. regards as essentially social and expressive of the needs and characteristics of the country." coun-try." One of the most powerful and interesting institutions of Uruguay Uru-guay is undoubtedly the Bank of the Republic. In addition to serving serv-ing as n bank of issue and savings, sav-ings, it operates a chain of twenty-two granaries throughout the country. Through these granaries the bank is able to help farmers obtain an adequate price for their products, especially since bank brances are located in all the towns where granaries are situated situ-ated as well a in others. In Montevideo Mon-tevideo the bank operates another anoth-er warehouse, making loans on tries but also erects them for members of various pension systems sys-tems and will finance the building of houses for those who are buying buy-ing them on the installment plan. Soldiers of regiments in Montevideo Monte-video have had dwellings erected for them and the ANCAP is' cooperating co-operating with the Housing Commission Com-mission in the erection of a large number of houses for its workers. The regulation of labor conditions condi-tions in industry and commerce; child protectioin and aid; obligatory obliga-tory primary education and compulsory com-pulsory exercise of the voting the wool, hides, rice and other" products stored therein. This institution's in-stitution's record has been one of service to the country at large, with considerable sums earned for the nation. The Mortgage bank must also be mentioned. .Among its activities it facilitates settlement settle-ment in rural districts through installment plan payments. Agricultural Agri-cultural experts are employed by the bank to advise farmers. The Mortgage bank also operates a savings fund and is active in financing fi-nancing housing projects. A number num-ber of large hotels which the National Tourist Commission oversees ov-ersees are financed by this bank. The electric power system, serving serv-ing the country with adequate, modern equipment is government-owned. government-owned. The same may be said of telephone services, the UTE, a powerful organization, having the monopoly of the production and sale of electric power and telephone tele-phone communications. In 1931 provision was made by law for the establishment of ANCAP, a government agency charged with the importation, refining and sale of petroleum products, alcohol and derivatives, coal and Portland cement. ce-ment. Its policy has been to keep the price of these products as low as possible, for the consumption of the people of Uruguay. The Government is also trying to teach the people better eating habits by means of "Popular Restaurants" Res-taurants" that have been established estab-lished in different sections of Montevideo. These were started during the depression to aid the unemployed but now have as their principal object the populariizng of healthy foods. Vitamins A, B, C and D are offered free of charge in the form of lettuce, whole wheat bread and butter, while the regular menu is planned to give a perfectly balanced meal. To help with this endeavor-a large municipal munic-ipal market makes fresh fruit and vegetables available to the residents resi-dents of the city. But man, besides food, needs shelter. TheHousing Commission not only builds dwellings dwell-ings for workers in various indus- |