Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-05-19
OHIO, FRIDAY. MAY 70, 1922
Old Age Pension News
AN OLD AGE PENSION MOVE
MENT IN THE UNITED STATES

Bills providing for them have been
introduced in almost a dozen State
legislatures and a number have come
up in Congress. Though the bills
that regularly crop out with every
session of certain of our State legis-
latures have never commanded a pas
sage vote, the sentiment back of them
has won sufficient respect, as we have
seen, to bring about an official in
vestigation of the whole subject of
poverty in old age in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts,
and in California, Illinois, New Jersey
and Connecticut.
pauper in an efficiently managed
State institution or for outdoor relief
runs from $100 to $500 year, the
a bill setting $500 year as the high
est limit of the pension to be granted
and providing for a sliding scale
would seem to cover the financial de-
mands of the problem.
About one-third of those aged sixty
and over are home-owners. This cir
cumstance suggests the encourage
ment of this form of thrift by the
granting of pension where it is
needed for the aged PERSONS other
support, but providing for the sale
of the property and reimbursement
of the State after the death of the
claimant.
So far in the United States the
movement has appeared to be lacking
in the efficient, earnest organization
and volume of expressed public ap-
proval necessary to get it past ultra
conservative legislators and on the
statute books. Within the last year,
however, great new hope has
dawned on the gray horizon of the
man growing old in industry. 1t was
the swift-traveling resolve OF the
members of the Fraternal Order of
Eagles, 100000 strong, one of whose
principles is Justice, that the injustice
of scranning men at sixty without in
come and with no prospect but the
poorhouse, or dependence on already
heavily burdened children, should end
The history of this movement as it
takes, fire in the F. o. E. is one of the
most insniring chapters in it's service
of this Nation.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles Takes
the Lead for Old Age Pensions
On May II, 1921, the Indiana State
Aerie of the Fraternal Order of
Eagles, in session at South Bend, with
all the Aeries in the State represent
ed, adopted by unanimous rising vote
q resolution recommending the adop-
tion of a governmental system of old
age tensions. Other State Aeries of
the Order unanimously endorsed the
resolution, while delegatesa to the
Grand Aerie, which was to convene in
Newark, N. j., August 8-13, were in
structed to make it prominent OBJ
ject of their deliberations.
On Wednesday, August II, at noon,
Past Grand Worthy President Frank
e. Herring presented to the Grand
Aerie resolution in accordance with
these instructions. When it was final
ly put to vote, the Resolution on Old
Age Pensions carried amid scenes of
the widest enthusiasm.
Grand Worthy President John M.
NORM appointed an Old Age Pension
Committee which met promptly in
South eBnd, Indiana, and there work.
ed out national plan of campaign
looking toward the establishment of
old age pensions by legislation in the
several States, and giving especial
attention to the States of Pennsyl-
vania, Ohio, Massachusetts,, Indiana,
and Connecticut, where public senti-
ment in favor of such provision, is
especially active.
All laws of civilized nations, and
even the crude regulations of savage
tribes, have been enacted "to promote
the general welfare" or at least the
welfare of the lawmakers and en-
forcers of the law.
These laws of ancient origin were,
however, merely negative safeguards
They provided only against actual in
jurv. At length, however, as the or
ganizati1n of society was studied ana
pondered, certain bolder spirits began
TO demand that government not only
restrain The strong from rapacity and
oppression of the weak, but compel
them actually to aid these in their
struggle against adverse fortune. The
abolition of slavery, the bctterment of
working conditions, and in relief of
some of the more fearful rniseiies of
the poor.
The welfare legislation already ac-
CoiiipllSilcu VI uuuef cOHSlQerdllOIl
for enactment, affects, in its range. a
mans whole life, from the first faint
STRINGS of the unborn babe, to the
mans last vital breath. The mater
nifty law recently enacted by Congress,
provides that for a certain period be-
fore, during, and after child's birth,
his mother, if she be employed in the
industries, shall be relieved from hard
work and be given proper care and
nursing. Mothers pension laws, now
enacted IN many States, grant to her,
if she becomes widow, sufficient
allowance to enable her to keep her
children at home and to remal at
home herself. Child labor laws pro-
hibit the child's employment in his
tender years and regulate the hours
of his labor and the kind of work he
may do when he grows older. There