Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-07
A NEW PENSION BILL
Should the State Provide for tho Aged?
BY FREDERIC J. HAskIN

| WASHINGTON. January 6.---Govcrn-
mcnt pensions for American aged and
| indiEcnt arc proposed J.: "a bill recent
| Is introduced in the House
Since 1900 nearly every Europcau
government has pcnsioncd it's AGED
poor This bill would grant a pension
OF so month To native or natural
ICED American citizen sixty-tivc years
oi age and over "ho have been resi-
dents OF tho country FOR twenty years
ana whose income is less than $500 ii
year
This pension would he enough to
keep many old people with their fam
lllcS who otherwise would nave to
enter institutions Then. too. these de-
pendent old people sap the vitality Of
IN" younger generation. Look about
YOU and observe how many Of Your
friends and acuuaintanccS arc handi-
. cappcd by the obligation of supporting
their parents In many cases il docs
not hurt them at all: they are quite
capable OF il, they have ability. money.
strength. On others not so capable IL
Is unquestionably an intolcrablc bur
den.
Take tho average factory worker. for
instance. lie makes barely enough to
support one family. to say nothing Of
two: hence. II s UP to him either to
sacr.hce his own lifc--his right 10 love
and his own childrcn-and take care
to his own life.
Factory Worker Rest Example
me factory worker ia tho best c1-
ample, but the strain OF economic con-
ditions Is not by any means limited
TO him. For any family with an in
these days Of c8orbitant prices the
support of parents we'll AS chill
dr"n Is n heavy responsibility.
Neither can it be said to he an on
)oSablc circumstance from tho point
Or view OF the old people. They arc
nearing tho end OF long existence
trauGht with toll. as most lives are
and with innumcrable sacrifices made
10 bring UP few healthy. responsible
American citizcns-a valuable service
to the country. but ono which is rarely
rewarded. At si1ty-fivc their abilities
have dwindlcd. they arc dcp,ntcnts
either on their children or tho com.
mun.ty. And i, is significant fact
that the majority OF them prefer the
community.
In an investigation into the economic
conditions of old people made by tho
state Of Mhssa chusctts in 1915. i, was
discovered that out Of total number
OF lSa.ois per, ons si1ty-hvc years OF
age and over living in that state "a
1875 were dependent on public charity
The annual amount spent on Deepen
dent old persons was estimated at
s@.2SS.sts, or about sst per capita
Fame living on $50 year. Amcri-
cans arc H2t Ia boast OF tic superb
GRITTY Of American homes. Of American
institutions. OF Americana themselves
They arc properly indignant when they
read about certain tribal organizations
that follow the custom Of killing OF
ali their old people. Yc,-Sei n year
when living costs what II docs
In Europe. various provisions fos. tho
! a IL.
ernm"nts. pcnmark was the first to
establish an old-aEc pension system.
IN ls?!. The pension acc is sixty
scars--thc lowest fixed b. any
country--and is payable to any ono
sixty years old who is unable 10 pro-
Nlde himself or his dependents with
, necessary subsistence. Moreover. his
required residence in Denmark is cnl-
ten years. on Rho other hand the
personal characteristics ~ tho .ppl-
cant must comply with certain n1cd
standards, No ono can receive pen
sion who has ever been convicted Of
crime. unless subsequently restored 10
civil rights: who has received any poor
relief, with tho exception Of medical
relief. during the five years before his
application for pension or whose
| poverty has been due to his own
pronisate habits
Average Pension $50.
Thc average pension paii h.: III.
pdniSh government is about sSa wear
a'hooEh Il varies according To cir
cumstanccs. The head OF > family
Tor instance. gets u larger pension than
man without any dependents Fifty
dollars Is mere pittancc from the
American point Of view. bu, in Don
marx the cost of living is very much
lower than IL Is here
The old age pension system Of Great
britain. established in 1905 and revised
IN ISL. was the result; OF twcnty-fye
years OF research during which five
parliamentary commissions ,nr.s,t
gated tho question from evcrv .nrI.