Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-12-19
ASSEMBLY, MAY ACT
TO FRAME PENSION
LAWS WORKERS
Locke Prepares Report Dealing
With Protection Measures
Used for Aged Wage
Farmers.
JTribune's Helena Bureau)

Helena. Dec. 1S.-While it appears
that the coming legislative assembly
win be concerned principally with tax
ftion measures there is a probability
That it will be called upon to deal with
The important question of old age pen
sons for wage earners.
This question was put up to the 18th
Legislative assembly by the action of the
18th assembly in passing house joint
resolution No. z, which resolution re-
auested ''the industrial accident board
TO investigate conditions governing the
wage earners Of the state of advanced
rye, and to report the findings and
conclusions of the snid industrial acci-
dent board covering the study made OF
old age problems among the states
wage with a View to recon-
mending proper and comprehensive
legislation to the members OF the 18th
legislative assembly
Started by Hunter
This resolution was introduced in the
house Of representatives by James
Hunter. a miner Of Klein, a rcpresen-
tative from Musselshell county. 1t was
adopted by both the house and the
senate and approved by Governor
Joseph NJ. Dixon, March ), 1921.
In compliance with the mandate of
this resolution. Jerome q. Locke.
chairman of the industrial accident
board, has given some time to Il study
of the subject and has just completed
a report of 40 typewriter pages which
will be printed for presentation to the
members of the coming legislative as
sembly.
This report is arranged in 10 chap
tiers, each dealing with some particular
phase of the investigation.
The first chapter bears on a study
of old age pensions as provided in
other countries where the theory of
protection to aged workmen is already
effectively in practice. According to
this chapter some form of old age
pension is provided in nearly every
European country, in Australia, New
Zealand, one province in Canada and
has been adopted to some extent in the
United States, Massachusetts having
80 distinct pension laws Chapter ,
consists of a study of the progress
attained in other states toward the
enactment of. pension legislation.
Tells of Various Systems
The need of such legislation is COW
cred in chapter 3 while the following
chapter consists of a study of old age
insurance or pension systems made
effective through private agencies such
as railroads and industrial institutions.
In chapter 5 is the result of a study
of the best system adapted to Montana
needs, whether through voluntary saw
ngs. through a compulsory contribution
plan, straight state pension or through
ID combination of two or more of the
three basic plans.
Cost of the systems and how best
they can be administered are covered
in chapters 6 and Z, while chapter 5 is
devoted to the question Of the amount
of relief and the terms under which
such relief night be granted.
What relation such a system will
bear to industrial compensation, in
dustriai rehabilitation, care of the
manned, incompetent and aged or in
digent is discussed in chapter 8, while
the concluding chapter bears upon the
most appropriate and constructive form
of legislation that will be acceptable
to the general public and which the
legislature might be induced to pass.