The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-02-09
OLD AGE PENSIONS
ARFBE|NGf FAVORED
Plan Sure To Be Adopted,
Why Not Now?
OF EAGLES
Fraternal Order Is Furthering
Movement With Splendid
Success

! IBy A. Epstein. formerly director
Commission Mission author, Facing Old
Age; now associate Of Frank E.
Herring, chairman Old Age Pension
| Commission, Fraternal Order OF
Eagles.l
The United States Is behind all
other industrial nations in making
humane provisions for the aged
poor. While in England legislative
committees began to seek a rem
| edy for old age poverty as early as
| the beginning of the last century,
there was hardly any discussion OF
this problem in the United States
before the ushering in OF the
| twentieth century. An awakening
has been witnessed, however, dur
ing the last decade.
| The recent interest in the Ques-
ton has been remarkable; The
States \of Massachusetts, Wisccn
had commissions exhaustively In
vestigating the subject. Except In
the first named State, where the
commission was divided in its rec
| concentrations, all the State inves
| tigating commissions have urged
the immediate inauguration OF gov
eminent supported old age PEN
Sions.
The Pennsylvania commissions
summary OF the needs of straight
pension system is convincing. At
of the problems, 1t submitted bill
providing for the payment of pen
sions to worthy poor at the age OF
sixty five, and declared that ''in
presenting this bill, we wfah to
| state that it is our sincere convic.
ton that the problems Of the aged
can no longer be ignored. We be-
Iieve that the present time Is prop
er and propitious for state action
i'm regard to--its old persons. The
difficulties facing the old, under the
ed through individual effort. And
the present cost Of our haphazard
provisions for the aged, in actual
money spent, in industrial ineffi
cheney resulting from it, in suffer
| ing and personal degradation, are
too stupendous to be permitted to
| continue. On the other hand, the
benefits to be derived from a con
structive plan of State assistance
in terms of loyalty to the common
wealth and nation, in Commitment
4
| in dependence and thrift, and in
family solidarity, are too manifest
and pregnant with numerous po-
tentialities for good to be delayed
| much longer"
Urged Consideration plan
No less significant is the c0nsid
Grafton given the subject recently
| by Industrial and economic experts,
commercial and religious bodies,
and trade union and fraternal or:
carnations. The second industrial
son in 1920 urged the consideration OF
old age pensions; the federal coun
Gil Of churches of Christ repre-
ting over twenty million church
people in the United States has for
some time included in its social
creed a plank for suitable provis
sions for the old age OF the work
ers. The National Catholic War
Council also declared that The
state should make comprehensive
provisions Tor insurance against
Illness, invalidity, unenployment
Grafton e Of Labor is dsmanding
constructive legislation in behalf
OF the aged. 3. The United Mine
Workers Of America have special
committee working for the promo
ton Of such legislation throughout
the United States.
Most interesting and important
in the development Of the old age
pension movement is in its cham
pionship and active sponsorship by
the Fraternal Order of Eagles: This
fraternity, with a membership Of
most extensive campaign In fav
or of Old Age Pensions under the
leadership of Frank e. Herring, the
managing editor Of its monthly
magazine and the chairman of it's
National Old Age Pension Com
mission. In conjunction with the
local lodges, Mr. Herring has secur
ed nearly 1900 Old Age Pension
committee throughout the United
are familiarizing, themselves with
the conditions OF the poorhouse In
their respective districts, are in
terviewing legislators and asking
their support of old age pensions.
An educational campaign by means
of monthly magazine, special
bulletins and pamphlets has been
carried on by the order for more
than a year.
DON'T Become over. Confident
Friends Of the movement, how
cfGIy uOI pCLOAC C0n
fident. For it will be opposed h:
the narrow minded and short
sighted, and by greedy special in
terests. The same forces that com
batted workmen's compensation
laws. child labor regulations, mo-
theirs pensions, and similar So
cial legislation, will obstfuct the
inauguration Of old age pensions.
Indeed, the line UP is already Ii
evidence. A number of paid lobby
lists and mercenary newspapers
are already beginning their at
tacks on the cause.
However; neither paid lobbyists
nor the activities of selfish inter
ests will be able to stem the in
creasing public, sentiment demand
Such legislation cannot much longer
be postponed. All laws of economics
indicate that it is inevitable. The
NOV ement for humane provision for
the aged in the United States is
growing rapidly and must eventual
ly succeed. Why. then. not have it
now? !.