Salt Lake Telegram | 1926-03-21 | Page 26 | British Unemployed Saved from Exposure and Famine by Labor Insurance Fund

t Wales Royal Roal Democrat Ae k 5 te a rt r e s 1 e iv yu 4 M Mci ci 4 s. s 4 4 t 4 3 1 0 4 1 te c CoP Copyright Tight London Times The Prince of or Wales goes hob with the unemployed her here Hes He's the s second cond figure from the left talking to one of the b beneficiaries of t a training center ce for fOJ unemployed at Lane GarrIson Birmingham S SI i British Unemployed Saved I J From Exposure and Famine I II A I By Lab Labor I l. l Insurance Fund I By MINOTT SAUNDERS United Press Staff Staff Correspondent LONDON March 29 United Press With Press With With unemployed during the most severe winter that Great Britain has had for many years ears there thele have been practically no fatalities from exposure and only a minimum amount of suffer suffer- ing big This Is the claim of the labor ministry advanced ad In supPOrt of the compulsory insurance law which an official described to the United Press Iress as the greatest sociological scheme me ever attempted In any great state By virtue of this law commonly but ut mistakenly called the dole the government has been able to give relief lessen hardships from cold and hunger without throwing an any additional burden on the treasury Trade depression with many Industries in industries In- In running on on short time and the shipping yards operating spasmodIcally spasmodically spas spas- has kept the unemployment ment list at t a formidable level Je which In any other country would cause the most Intense suffering But under the insl insurance ance act funds have ha peen been een available a to make payments payments pay pay- ments mania to deserving deserving- men and women which though not sufficient to support support sup sup- port desirable comfort have been ample to permit some heat and food enough for livelihood The labor ministry admits that the cold weather br brought discomfort and suffering to many poor families bu but t further than th that t the state does not allow the people to go WORKERS PAY Under the Insurance act it is compulsory compulsory com corn for workers earning less than 1200 a year to make certain small payments payments' to the state fund I when they are working and employers em employers em- em must must also malta make pa payments ments to the fund on behalf of ot the workers work work- ers At present U workers have an Interest in this fund That Tat Interest corresponds to an insurance policy with available benefits when they are out of work The They need T I only apply to the nearest advisory committee committee and and no worker In England England England En En- gland Scotland and Wales Vales need travel more than three miles to find such a board board and and prove their case caseto caseto caseto to get the benefits The insurance now pays eighteen shillings to a man an additional five shillings for his wife and two shillings shil shil- lings for each child under 14 years A family of four can collect about a we week ol which can enable them to carry carryon on whereas otherwise they would be In the direst distress The labor ministry described the fund a as one one of the soundest busIness business business busi busI- ness propositions in England It has an annual Income of pounds The deficit in January was roughly pounds a decrease of about 50 per cent from the deficit deficit cit two years ago The state can canwell canwell canwell well afford to loan money to a bus 1 business ness with such a huge assured in in- in come CRITICIZED BY PRESS A certain section section- of the British press has long criticized the government government gov gov- for paying the dole ar arguing arguing at ar- guing going that it encouraged Idleness but a labor ministry official branded brand brand- ed this criticism as sheer Ignorance of the facts He said the law was wasas wass as s sound as any reputable Insurance company and rather than being repealed repealed re pealed would be broadened In its scope and mutual benefit This is not a dole It Is a legitimate legitimate legitimate mate Insurance business he hp said It is Ia a shock absorber in our our so social social so- so cial life It saved us liS during this cold weather and when the American Ameri Amen can boom turns the corner arid and re reaction reaction reaction re- re action sets In our scheme will save Us lis from the shock that will be felt Celt over here Sooner or later America must have some such scheme as this just as it had to have Its federal re reserve reserve reserve re- re serve ban bank We would be glad to explain Its machinery to Americans would welcome a congressional committee committee com corn of Investigation about our so-called so dole because we think we weare weare are doing a great humanitarian lan p work vork rk A. A i