FINANCE
9*25
Under an Imperial law of 1S33 ami amending Acts (codified in tlie Rcichsver- sicheru; g '-)> of July 19, 1911), workinea musi be insured against
sickness, an . ■ es pay two-thirds of the contributions, their
emi'loyers pai for accident insurance, under an Act of 1884 and
amending Ac- lbutions are paid entirely by the employers, and they, for
mutual protection, hare unite- i into associations according to the nature of the industries in which they are et:_ .< of these insurance associations is controlled by
Government. For ii , r e insurances, under an Act of 1SS9, amended in
1899, the contributions are paid half by the workmen and half by their employers, while towards each pension the Government grants an annual subsidy of 50 shillings. The em- are responsible bo'.h for their own and the workmen's contributions, but the latter may be deducted from wages paid subsequently.
Contributions are paid by the purchase of -tamps from the Poet Office ; these are affixed bv the contributing person to cards on which there are spaces for stamps for 52 weeks. When the contributions are complete, the card is handed in to a specified office and a certiflcate given in return.
For the year 1914 the average of those insured against sickness was 16,525,667. Of this total 15,609,536 (9,842,218 men and 5,767,368 women) were insured in ordinary societies, and 916,081 (901,318 men and 14,763 women) in Knappschafttn or so ieties for miners. In 1917 there were 139 Knapj-.-haftcn with S75,878 members. In 1917. 23,200,000 persons were insured against accident (14,499,000 men and 8,701 women) in 68 in- dustrial societies and 9 agricultural societies, and 571 State or municipal orgauisatious ; ani 17,253,400 against invalidity (11,961,300 men and 5,292,100 women) in 41 organisations.
Finance.
The following tables exhibit the budget estimates of the revenue and expenditure (in pounds sterling) for five years, ending March 31 (20 marks = 1Z. ) : —
Revenue
Expenditure
Years
ending „ ,. „ Extraord. March Ordinary (]o4nB Ac)
81
Total
1916-17 1917-18 1918-191
1919-201
£ £ £
153,1" 1,140,770,330
1,30' .740,
306. 790,4
3,152,184,80
Extraord.
Total
1920--
£ £ £
20O.3-.-- I,438,y75,£00
-\663,067,3y0 -.402,938,380 152,184,805
7,8X8,405 2,675,063,507
mate. The budget estimates for 1920—21 gives the principal items of ordinary revenue and expenditure as follows : —
Revenue
1,000
marks
Expenditure
1,000 marks
Direct taxes .
Debt
12,698,316
Taxes levied once .
\00u
Pensions
3,967,548
Customs and taxes on
Con-
Ministry of Foreign Attain
tion
, '.',147,000 '
,, .. Interior .
1 43
Taxes on coal, salt.
.. Labour .
•084
Umber
, ,.,'IJ .; l
...v .
Monopoly of alcohol
•
013,530
Total i including »H '
Total (::.c~. A □„■ a*l
The extraordinary budget provides for a revenue of 2,287,769,024 marks and an expenditure of 52,579,319,139 marks.
