The Pulaskian., 1921-01-20

will not be so strongly tempted to sell out to the lobbyists. In fact,
 no man need to steal to lay by money
 for hsi old age when he knows a
 grateful country is going to see to 1t
 that he will be cared for when he gets old. This law should be framed so that no man should have to take
 pauper's oath to get his money. If
 you are rich and don't need the mon- ey the tax will work no injustice by
 being paid to you, because then you
 will pay the tax you receive yourself.
 Now, what 1 want you to do Is to pass an old age pension law at once
 allowing every man above fifty-five
 years of age ten dollars a month.
 1 am in favor of this law even if it should cost me ten dollars a month, or more. 1 do not need 1t now, neither do you, but there is no telling how soon you will need 1t, and 1t should be so worded as to confer as much honor as money on the man eceiving it, for the average man who has lived to be fifty years of age has done his country more good than the young man who has died for 1t. The no account and unworthy people have practically all died young and all the worthy young men want to see father cared for. got on the Highland car for the Tenth Street depot Friday and my car, had to wait quite awhile at Capitol avenue for two old men to get on the car in front of us with horse load of tools they were carrying to dig holes for electric wire poles. The motorman was thoroughly disgusted with the sight. He looked at 1t as a disgrace to civilization. He remarked: 'sThe idea of those two old men doing that kind of work! Why they ought to be sitting around the fire resting" And that is the way all honest men look at such a sight. It is a disgrace to our country that the women, chil- dren and old men have to. work their daylights out to feed the young and strong, who are having good time automobiling in nice weather and sitting around in pool rooms or other nice places in bad weather, while the old men are out in the rain and snow digging holes for telephone poles and graves for the cigarette smokers, who, because they have usurped the old mans place by the fireside, have met untimey deaths. Now you legis- lators, if you want to win the plaud- its of every honest young man get busy and pass a once an old age pen sion law for the benefit of every person over a certain age, regardless of their wealth. Such a law will never be repealed, but the pensions will be increased and never dimin- ished.
 l am not asking for an old age in- surance law for which the young men will have to pay now in order to draw the insurance when they get older, but am asking for a direct pension to the old men, who are old now and need the money today. l, of course, include the women when 1 say men. Such a pension would practically bring relief to every far mer, who needs help because of the great catastrophe which has stricken the farmers of the country. Let Ar kansas set the pace and show Con- gress what real honest relief to the farmer consists in. It is alright to make this tax high enough to hurt the young men who are loafing and make them go to work to pay for 1t. In that way they will pay for their own old age pensions of the future.
 Such pension as this will enable men to laugh at temptations to steal and swindle in order to have money for their old age. They will also spend this money amongst their