The Cordova daily times., 1923-03-29
WHAT WILL THE LEGISLATURE DO?

The chief cause of poverty in old age IS the fact that workers in modern industries cannot remain at their regular work beyond certain age As in the case of the machine, there comes time when the worker whose powers are stacking must, for the good of the industry, be ruthlessly scrapped.
 It is equally well established that the wages paid the average worker, even in his prime, fall far short of the cost of comfortable living to permit of savings The prevailing standard of daily wages does not take into consideration such exigencies as sickness, accidents, and the disabilities of old age Despite the tremen- dous increase in wages during the war, in only a few cases did this keep pace with the in- crease in the cost of living. In the face, of inadequate wages, periods of un- employment strikes, ]ockouts and what we may call "industrial superannuation," saving for old age by wage earners is found to be impossible.
 III health is also potent cause of poverty. In numerous cases investigated by the com missions prolonged sickness had swept away the previous accumulatons. Among the de- pendents in pauper institutions today practic- ally 90 per cent are defective, mentally or 
 Chief among the factors forcing a deDendent person into a pauper institution is lack of family connections More than half the paup- CTS throughout the United States have never been married, while another third are wid- owed. The great majority of dependents m almshouses and infirmaries are chldless.
 The Old Age Pension idea is the order ot the day. Various groups and organizations arc conducting educational campaigns with refer enco to the adoption of the plan as a general roicv throughout the United States. Among the latter, the Fraterna Order of Eagles stands out prominently Last month we pub lisncd an article by MT. Epstein. associate chairman of the Old Age Pension Commission of the Order of Eagles. This months issue carries another Both of these articles are straight to the point and deserve careful reading All that has been said in these and other articles in this magazine apply to Alas ka's need of Old Age Pensions but there are special reasons for immediate relief which do not apply in many of the states.
 Chief among these is the fact that Alaska is pioneer country Not that alone, but the fact is that it is a northern pioneer country The North drew a particular type of pioneers the prospector He came here to find gold not to work for wages. not to farm, not tc engage in business He has spent his life in that cndeavor. What result, then, if he has failed in his search? Simply this: he has worn himself out in blazing. trails explorine unknown places, and putting up signboards for us The Pioneers have given their lives in making ar abundance for us without laying up even @ competence for themselves. Can there be any question, then, about our owing them comfortable living in old age?
 The Legislature convened this month. Sev- eral of the members have expressed them selves to The Pathfinder being heartily in favor of increasing the pension, But tc make the matter sure, the Grand Igloo, which meets soon at Nenana, should pass blair resolution asking the Legislature for relief Every Ieloo and every member ought to ac- quaint his Representative and Senator with the urgent need of an immediate increase o1 the pension to at least double the present Pathfinder of Alaska.