Page:Economic Development in Denmark Before and During the World War.djvu/72

56 a Director of Labour Exchange and a council in which, as in the subordinate councils, there is an equal representation of both interests, four members appointed by the Secretary of the Home Office on nomination by the Danish Employers' and Masters' Union and the Federative Trade Unions of Denmark, and the rest elected by the town council. Labour exchange is gratis and does not cease during labour conflicts; but when the office is informed of such a conflict by a trade union, it must notify the workers in that trade by bulletins posted in the office or otherwise. When a workman is assigned work outside the place in which he lives, he may receive pecuniary aid for his travelling expenses up to one-half the price of his ticket.

A considerable amount of co-operation with the recognized unemployment societies is implied, since the latter are obligated to forward each week to the labour exchange office in the district concerned a list of all members in the district who are receiving unemployment support. On the other hand, the unemployment societies can receive information from the labour exchange office through which a member out of work has obtained employment. Other things being equal, members of recognized societies have a prior right to appointment. A recognized unemployment society must not grant support to members who refuse, without giving any satisfactory reason, to accept any suitable employment assigned to them by the board of the society or by a municipal employment office.

On the whole, much has been accomplished. Many municipal offices have been founded, and they are working well and keeping in close touch with the unemployment societies.

Factory Legislation in the Last Fifty Years The workmen's insurance, or rather, the national insurance, which we have briefly described has done much for the benefit of the lower classes. The results may best be 