and the propaganda to encourage its extension throughout the whole world. Therefore (in accordance with the two large analogous Associations, the "Legal Protection" and the "Struggle against Unemployment," the latter also presided over by M. Léon Bourgeois), the Committee of Social Insurance will endeavour to make better known in all "new Countries" the European Institutions of Social Safeguard, and to develop the regime of International Conventions of Labor. Its European work is meanwhile being pursued. The Committee through its various organs is continuing to give information to the Governments and to form a public opinion; and one must recognize that its work has remained throughout the course of this quarter of a Century, as characterized as in the beginning by the happy combination of two qualities: Impartiality and Prudence. These Congresses for instance have largely contributed to the conciliation of the two adverse systems of Social Providence (prevoyance) Compulsory Insurance, and Voluntary Insurance with State subsidies, and to the two great apparently contradictory needs: the generalization of an efficacious protection against the professional risks and the necessity of avoiding too heavy charges to the working man, to the industry and to the State. The Asociation works principally through its publications and meetings. The "Bulletin of Social Insurance," edited under the direction of M. Fuster, keeps the members informed as to the legislation, the statistics and the facts in relation to social insurance against accidents, sickness, invalidity, old age, premature death, and unemployment. It is there that one can find all the laws in force as well as the official statistics. Eleven Congresses and Conferences have already been called which gathered for more and more practical discussions the specialists of about twenty countries, numbering together more than a thousand, grouped in this Association. Lastly, the National Committees of about fifteen countries are preparing international inquiries and are exercising a strong national influence. THE GENERAL PROGRAM OF THE CONFERENCE. The Conference of Paris thus having a jubilous character, it seems a good opportunity to hastily summarize the systems in force, their financial effects and their new orientation. Several of the discussions will be sustained by the reports of the Committees on the five inquiries which are actually in preparation. As to other aspects, the reports presented will call attention to new problems which the subsequent reunions will, doubtless, be called upon to treat more in detail. I. What are the "charges" imposed upon the workingman's, industrial, national budget by the institutions of Social Providence, so liberally instituted during the past twenty five years? The Conference will seek to find how these charges can be estimated by subsequent inquiries, and will doubtless bring to notice already some interesting figures. H D-63-2-vol 158- 46 In connection with that principal question the Committee will provoke observations on one of the most difficult problems: What financial scheme must be selected in insuring against invalidity? Furthermore the importance of this question ought not to escape us-the Conference is called upon to study if it is already possible to foresee an international standardization by means of Conventions of Social Insurance, of those charges which have already been accepted under nearly identical conditions by a large number of Countries? II. In the above first series there will, on the whole, be no question but of facts already acquired or of protection already realized. In the second series of discussion the Conference will have to consider how and with what reservations, especially inspired by the care of tolerable charges, can be thought of an extension of social Insurance in two directions. On the one hand, the question is to know in which measure and how these forms of insurance, up to now organized nearly exclusively in favour of wage earners, can be extended to other categories whose economic situations are analogous (clerks, for instance, and "independants" such as artisans, small employers, and small farmers). On the other hand, it must be asked how one can answer to the so various needs of the entire family: for example in insuring it against sickness and, especially, in completing the compulsory insurance of pensions by an insurance (voluntary) of small capital, that is to say, in developing the industrial life insurance which in different countries furnishes already to the workingman and the small "independants" the necessary capital to educate their children, to buy a house or land or some small business, or simply a security to the family in case of premature death of its head. III. In the third series of work, the Conference will place before it, at least in general terms, and with the view of subsequent deeper studies, a problem of present interest which will appear doubtless, as a logical consequence of the statements of facts in the two previous series of discussions. A modification of method, a new orientation, is that not necessary? Instead of securing, only or principally, help in the form of species, ought not Social Insurance rather endeavour to minimize the risks or even prevent them, to improve the general health of the people, to preserve the human capital? The Conference will aid to make better known how certain nations, in putting Social Insurance to the service of social hygiene, had been able to intervene energetically against tuberculosis and other common diseases, to ameliorate housing conditions, to give education in hygiene and sanitation, and in a word to realize an economy of life and money. ORDER OF THE DAY AND FIRST REPORTS ANNOUNCED. As a resumé, and except for some possible modifications of detail in the future, this program of the Conference has been established as follows. But considering its maximum scope, the fundamental task of the Conference will be therefore, to examine the questions placed under the form of inquiries; as to other points it will introduce them rather in order to see if news inquiries should be opened. 1. NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CHARGES OF SOCIAL INSURANCE. 1. The present charges by Social Insurance (results of the preliminary inquiry (no. V) and observations on the possibility of a searching inquiry). 2. The financial systems of insurance against invalidity. 3. Standardization of charges in the different countries and the possibility of general international Conventions on Social Insurance. II. EXTENSION OF SOCIAL INSURANCE CONCERNING NEW CATEGORIES AND RISKS. 4. The extension of Social Insurance to "independants" (Inquiry no. I). sion 5. Extension to satisfy the needs of the family: a) Popular life Insurance (Inquiry no. II). 6.- do. b) Child Insurance and especially Mutual Insurance for School Children (Inquiry no. III). 7. do. - - c) Sickness-insurance of the family of the insured. III. ORIENTATION OF SOCIAL INSURANCE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PREVENTION AND LESSENING OF RISKS. 8. Social Insurance and Social Hygiene (Influence of insurance on the prevention of accidents and of industrial diseases and its relation with factory inspection; amelioration of housing conditions and investment of funds for social benefit, struggle against prevalent diseases, especially tuberculosis). 9. Adaptation after accident and invalidity (Inquiry no. IV). We are now able to single out a certain number of reports announced by the National Committees relative to questions 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, that is to say, to questions prepared under the form of inquiries: Question 1 (Inquiry V). MM. Zahn and Freund (Germany), Widholz, Kögler, Kienböck (Austria), Barriol and Jouanny (France), Posthuma (Holland), Medolaghi (Italy), Kauffmann (Luxemburg). Question 4 (Inquiry I). MM. Piloty (Germany), Schmitt, R. Kaan, Eldersch (Austria), Trap (Denmark), Chausse (France), Rutgers (Holland), Camanni (Italy), Kauffmann (Luxemburg). Question 5 (Inquiry II). - MM Reuss and Bielefeldt (Germany), Blaschke (Austria), Coulon and Fleury (France), v. Ryckevorsel (Holland), Magaldi (Italy), Kauffmann (Luxemburg). Question 6 (Inquiry III). - MM. Bielefeldt and Manes (Germany), Blaschke (Austria), Édouard Petit (France), v. Ryckevorsel (Holland), Cavalieri (Italy), Eydt (Luxemburg). Question 9 (Inquiry IV). — M. Stoecker and Lieniger (Germany), Schnitzler (Austria), Mosny and Deléarde (France), Vossenaer and v. Troojen (Holland), Bernacchi (Italy), Grechen (Luxemburg). Reports on all or part of these questions are yet to be announced from about a dozen other countries, notably, Hungary, Switzerland, Roumania, Belgium and the United-States. The reports introducing the other questions will likewise be described later; we are able, though, to indicate now the reports of M. Kaan (Austria) on question 2, of M. Fuster on Question 3, and of MM. the president Kaufmann and Fuster on question 8. The preliminary reports and the discussions of the Conference of Paris will therefore present to specialists as well as to the Governments and the public at large the vital interest of actuality. There will be found at the same time general views and practical expositions of such a nature as to inspire needful remedies and useful extensions of application. LÉON BOURGEOIS, Président. The SECRETARY OF STATE, Washington, D. C. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, Washington, July 20, 1914. SIR: The department has to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 13th instant and to state in response to the query therein contained that no appropriation is desired for the participation of its accredited representative in the international conference on social insurance to be held at Paris in September, 1914. It seeks simply authority to enable it to designate officials of the department to represent it in this conference. Respectfully, J. W. DUNSMORE, Acting Secretary. O 2d Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES No. 1134 FIRST-CHOICE VOTE FOR RESERVE-BANK CITIES LETTER FROM THE RESERVE BANK ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE TRANSMITTING IN RESPONSE TO THE RESOLUTION OF THE JULY 29, 1914.-Referred to the Committee on Banking and Currency and ordered to be printed WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE |