Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/792

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776 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

six cents). This is done by purchasing stamps and affixing them in a cash book. There are further requirements as to pres- entation and cancellation of these and relating to reporting (twice a day) at the central office while out ^of work. These members are given first consideration by the General Labor Reg- istry of the city, with which the association is connected. In case work cannot be secured members are entitled to draw a daily allowance from the insurance fund for a maximum period of eight weeks during the time elapsing between December I5th and March I 5th. The daily allowance is as follows : For the first twenty days on which no work can be obtained a workman with a family receives two marks (about forty-eight cents); an unmar- ried workman receives one mark twenty pfennigs (about twenty- eight cents). For the remainder of the eight weeks the allow- ance is one-half this sum.

In the system as first adopted at Berne the dues were forty centimes (eight cents) per month. The benefits amounted to one franc fifty centimes (about thirty cents) per day for workmen with families, and one franc for those unmarried. This was given only in the winter months and never for more than two months out of the three. As modified in 1895 the dues were raised to fifty centimes per month and the benefits raised fifty centimes for each class.

The St. Gall plan called for a contribution varying from fifteen to thirty centimes per week according to the wages earned, and the benefits varied accordingly. The following table gives the plan adopted, though the cantonal law permitted consider- able variation.

Earnings per day Premiums per week Benefits per day

First class, 3 fr. or less 15 centimes i fr. 80 cent.

Second class, from 3 to 4 fr. 20 centimes 2 fr. 10 cent.

Third class, from 4 to 5 fr. 30 centimes 2 fr. 40 cent.

Benefits could be drawn for a maximum period of sixty days per year.

The plan elaborated at .Bale was as follows: All workmen receiving an annual wage of less than 2000 francs ($400) were