Germany and the Germans from an American Point of ViewCollier, Price
History
Germany and the Germans from an American Point of View
Collier, Price
Germany; National characteristics, German
Between 1900 and 1909, while the population of Germany increased 15
per cent., the days of sickness in the insurance funds increased 59
per cent. and the expenditure 95 per cent. Some alterations were made
in the law between those years permitting a certain extension of the
days of sickness, but an accurate percentage may be taken between the
years 1905 and 1909. During those years the population increased by 7
per cent., the days of sickness by 17 per cent., and the expenditure
out of the sick-funds by 32 per cent. The total cost of sickness
insurance in 1900 was $42,895,000 and in 1909 $83,640,000. What will
happen in Great Britain when sickness insurance comes into thorough
working order is worthy of caricature. The way my Irish friends will
play that game fills me with joy. It is an abominable harness to put
on the Anglo-Saxon, and he has my very best wishes if he refuses to
wear it tamely. It is only another piece of tired legislation that
solves nothing. Even Germany would be a thousand times better off
without it. This attempting to make pills and powders take the place
of love one another, is merely the politician sneaking away from his
problem. Of course, it is impossible to tell how many people are sick
by being paid for it, probably not a small number. We all have
mornings when we would turn over and stick to our pillows if we were
sure of payment for doing so. The German apparently is the only person
in the world who is happy, aegrescit medendo. The Germans keep going,
we must all admit that, but at a slower pace, with less energy to
spare, and with far less robust love of life.
If the men are patient, the women must be more so, and they are. The
marriage service still reads: "He shall be your ruler, and you shall
be his vassal." The women are not only patient with all that requires
patience of the men, but they are patient with the men besides, a
heavy additional burden from the American point of view. Beethoven
writes: "Resignation! Welch' elendes Huelfsmittel! Und doch bleibt es
mir das einzige uebrige." They take resignation for granted as we never
do.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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