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Show Ltbor Insurcsc in Gernvtny. . , The twentieth aniversary of compulsory Insurance In-surance for workmen in Germany recalls the history of a movement many features of which might be beneficially considered by Americans. German compulsory workmen's insurance tas proved an unqualified financial success. Statistics show that of the total 44.0S per cent was contributed contrib-uted by the workmen themselves, proving it an excellent ex-cellent school of thrift and providence. The contribution con-tribution of employers to the total was 41.83 per cent, a feature of even greater importance, for this represents an increase in workmen's pay that is devoted de-voted toward supporting the working power of the employed classes, supplanting tho contributions which the whole community had formerly to pay toward to-ward the maintenance of the pauper workmen. The German plan has also been productive of Improved hygiene. Formerly the workman, in case of sickness or accident, would often fail to seek medical attendance. Even when he did, cures undertaken un-dertaken in the far from hygienic surroundings of j the workman's home were not satisfactory. Now i sick benefit clubs provide the sick with medical aid, medicine and financial support, which partly at least make good the loss of wages. All of this is done under government legislation and thus no one loses the benefits through carelessness careless-ness or neglect. |