hall offer
facilities to voluntary insurance schemes in other trades, managed by
trade unions or by societies or groups of workmen. Moreover, we
contemplate that the State insurance office should undertake, if
desired, the insurance against unemployment of any individual workman
in any trade outside of those for which compulsory powers are
required, and should afford to these individuals an equivalent support
to that which is given in the trades which are subject to the
compulsory system.

Of course you will understand that the terms, that can be offered
under a voluntary or partial system, are not so good as those which
can be obtained in the compulsory system of a great trade. Where all
stand together, it is much better for each. But still it is certain
that individuals who take advantage of the insurance policy which
will be introduced, and I trust carried through Parliament next year,
will be able to secure terms which will be much more favourable than
any which are open to them by their unaided contributions at the
present time, because their contributions will be reinforced by the
contributions of the State. Further, if our beginning proves a success
the attempt and the system will not stop there. It will be extended,
and in proportion as experience and experiment justify its extension,
in proportion as the people of this country desire its extension, it
must eventually cover, in course of years, the whole of our great
industrial community.

Well now, it is said that in adopting the policy of contributory
insurance the Government have admitted that they were wrong in
establishing old-age pensions upon the non-contributory basis. Now I
do not think that is true. There is no inconsistency or contradiction
between a non-contributory system of old-age pensions and a
contributory system of insurance against unemployment, sickness,
invalidity, and widowhood. The circumstances and conditions are
entirely different. The prospect of attaining extreme old age, of
living beyond threescore years and ten, which is the allotted span of
human life, seems so doubtful and remote to the ordinary man, when in
the full strength of manhood, that it has been found in practice
almost impossible to secure from any very great number of people the
regular sacrifices which are necessary to guard against old age.

But unemployment, accident, sickness, and the death of the
bread-winner are catastrophes which may reach any household at any