The liiniatry of Labour has announced that the "out-of-work donation"
scheme will come into opeiat:on on Monday. It is, in -essence, a free insurance against unemployment for a year in the ease of discharged soldiers or sailors, and for six months in the case of civilians. Men for whom work cannot be found- are to receive 24s. a week, and women in the same case 209 a week, with allowances for dependent children under fifteen of 6s. for the first child and 3s. for each other child. An unemployed man with three young children would thus receive .36s. a week. The scheme is estimated to cost £30,000,000. The public, we are sure, feels that it is impossible to do too much for the relief of our gallant sailors and soldiers, and Ina lesser degree of the patriotic munition-workers, who may find themselves temporarily -unem- ployed. Prudence as well as gratitude requires the generous treatment of those who have deserved well of the State. At the same time the scheme must be .administered with great -care. Loafers must not be encouraged. to live at the- State's expense, and decent men and women must be found: employment with the least possible delay, for nothing is more demoralizing than enforced Idleness.
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