Oldal 2 [2]
OCR
— page two = the Bank of Spain, which strives as hard as it cen to liberate completely foreign exchange as soon as possible. In this connec= tion it.is noteworthy, that the Bank of Spain has been recently nost liberal in the allowance of foreign currency both for tra= vel abroad and for imports. It is for instance interesting to note, how many new cars are at present imported into the country. The licenses nevertheless apply now almost exclusively to low | piice popular cars, so that the number of huge American cars is | sharply dropping off in relations to french or German cheap Curse | An interesting fact is noteworthy : it is, that in the | building of new industries both by domestic and foreign capital | tke governement is encouraging a large scaie decentralization of industry, so to permit every province to gain from the new prosperity. Under these conditions new areas are opened up, and | the governement hopes to abolish unemployment altogether. In this connection, though statistics do not exist, the news pabli= shed in Amer can papers telling of 300.000 unemployed in Spain is patently inaccurate. A rational estimate permits to get the | number at 120.000, probably even less than ‘that, | . Before studying the political aspects of the country, | one other point is noteworthy in the social and economic field : the question of social insurance in Spain, It has been an old €omplaint, that the Social Insurance charges in Spain are highe In fact it has been stated, that in several industries for 1000 Pese= tas pail in wages, 95 additional Pesetas had to be paid out in Social Insurance, While this is certainly not true for the avera< ge of the industry, it nevertheless shows the terrible burden caried by the Spanish Economy. The reason for this grave burden is two—pronged : first of all, till 1936 Spain had practically no social fucilities, such as popular hospitals etc. at alle Hence Spein must now build all its social service facilities in a very short time ~ a grave burden indeed, ‘Then the whole apparutus of public insurance, state-owmed, is a heevy, clumsy machine, whose working is slow end unpractical. Under these conditions the Sou ngh governement is now devoting much attention to lower the costs. One factor can not be avoided : hospitals, preventoria and Berta toria must be still built and will be made, But on theother hand, the governement is now making every effort to take away Social | Insurance from the Gtate, and hand it over to industry wide mutual insurance systems, to be jointly managed by management and labour, Labout representatives are elected, These Mutusi Insurance Ser= vices willwork ander state control, but will be autonomous. They are allowed only 5% for administrative expenses. Where they already operate they have proven bo be a suecess, have increased services and diminished the charges. The governement is now pushing GA,
