784 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
As to experience, three societies alone furnish any data. Under the Berne plan 404 persons were insured during 1893-4. Fifty of these became delinquent, 216 claimed benefits. For fiftv-one of these employment was provided. The remainder drew benefits to the sum of 6835 francs, an average of 41 francs. In 1894-5 there were 390 insured, 226 applying for relief. Seven of these were given work. The remainder were given aid to the sum of almost 10,000 francs, an average of 45 francs apiece. In the following winter there were (in January) 768 insured, and 248 drawing relief. The St. Gall system was more extensive in its application. In 1895-6 there were 3430 men insured, 2412 upon a wage basis of three francs a day, 920 upon a wage basis of four francs a day, and ninety-eight upon a wage basis of five francs a day. There were more than iioo delinquencies, to the sum of 4000 francs. There were 387 applicants for relief; twenty-eight found work, and 359 drew benefits amounting to almost 20,000 francs. The average was fifty-four francs sixty centimes. The results of the experience for the portion of the current year are not at hand. At Cologne 229 applied for insur- ance, nine of these being rejected as ineligible ; ninety-three claimed benefits, fifty-five of whom were given work. There were on February loth thirty-eight in receipt of benefit. Dur- ing the entire winter relief to the amount of $445 was distributed among seventy-three beneficiaries.
These results are hardly sufficient to afford a basis of gener- alization ; results of further experience will be awaited with interest. In time no doubt these organizations will have many imitators, in Europe based upon governmental aid, in America upon private enterprise. These pioneer efforts are certainly deserving of great credit and appreciative consideration.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Hardly any literature exists in English upon the subject of this article. An excellent monograph with bibliography was issued as Circular Number 2, Series B, of the Muste social, August 1896. To the titles there given may be added :
Circulaire Number j, Strie B, Musee social.
Bulletin de L" Office de Travail, Paris, 1893-1897.
