Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/634

 6l6 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

housing question in Germany lies with the community; and that individual ownership of the houses by the workingmen them- selves furnishes the best key to the solution.

C. PUBLIC CHARITIES.

Prevention of poverty is as important as, if not more impor- tant than, alleviation of poverty. Of course, the latter may not be neglected ; but that outlook of a community is not desirable which reveals nothing but continuous hand-to-hand conflict with its enemies. The community which has foresight seeks the source of these enemies and, by eliminating that, secures to itself the advantage in all future struggles. Under this work of pre- vention of the causes of poverty should be mentioned the sev- eral laws of the imperial government : x compulsory insurance against sickness, against invalidism, and against old age. These are not in any sense pensions, but are insurances. The burden of the expense is shared by employer and employee. Some, of course, complain that they pay their portion and never receive anything for it ; they are not sick and do not become invalids nor old people ! The interest of all, however, is more important than the interest of these few. When sick, the insured person receives free medical treatment, free medicine, free nursing, and a daily payment equivalent to at least half the wages of an ordi- nary day laborer. For this, the payment varies according to the wages received, but is never more than 4 per cent, thereof. The various forms of insurance are only for those whose annual income is less than 2,000 marks; and among these the compul- sion of state insurance affects only those not otherwise insured. The claim advanced against insurance against invalidism and old age viz., that it removes necessity and personal incentive to save will hardly hold. The amount received in such cases, though large enough to keep one from want, is not so large that one may look forward to living from that income alone, if one really possesses personal initiative. On the other hand, the per- son ignorant of means of saving is taught to save ; and the one unwilling to save is compelled to save. The person with very

1 Not exhibited.