The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-29

<, islature be lowered, and that funds
 be appropriated to make the bill
 effective.
 | In Rhode Island the bills now be- | fore the legislature which arc of particular interest to business men
 are those dealing with old age pen
 sions. unemployment insurance, workmen's compensation and fac | tory inspection.
 Improvement of existing instu- tional facilities for the care of the
 dependent aged through a district cooperative plan is proposed In pref erence to state payment of old age pensions by the Manufacturers'
 Association of Connecticut, Inc. This
 recommendation is contained in q report on old age dependency which the association has submitted to the Connecticut Legislature, to be con-
 sidered in connection with the old
 age pension bill filed by the Con-
 necticut Federation of Labor and
 sponsored by the National Associa-
 ton for old Age Security.
 In its published report. based on
 Il two-year study of the problem of
 old age dependency, with especial
 application to Connecticut, the
 Manufacturers Association criticiZes Lbc DIODobeh DiIi sLD ubNVi both the number and the cost of in-
 dividual pensions and as unable to accomplish the abolition of alms-
 houses. to provide adequate hospi-
 talization for physical and mental
 infirmities, or to reach q general so-
 lution of the whole problem. It also
 quotes cases in which old age pen- sion laws in other states have been declared unconstitutional, and cites the Connecticut bill of rights, but
 does not express an opinion on the
 legality of the particular measure.
 Instead of state grants of in-
 dividual aid, the report recom-
 mends extension and improvement
 of the present system. which 1t rec ognizcs as unsatisfactory, but be-
 lieves can be improved to meet the needs of the situation without change in the existing laws. The plan would gradually eliminate the small almshouses in individual towns and provide instead for large, adequately financed and 'competently managed institutions maintained by two or more towns comparatively. Since even In such large institutions would probably be unable to pro- vide sufficient hospital facilities. 1t would be necessary for the state, "as such," not only "to expand it's present facilities for the care of the insane and tubercular but to construct and maintain, under q per diem underwriting per patient by the town. a state infirmary or hospital for the care of that compa- ratively great number of aged which require disqualification because of incurable diseases"
 The report is based upon study carried on by committee of the Manufacturers' Association at the association's expense. It was with the understanding that such a. sur vey would be made that the 1929 old age pension bill, which sought a legislative commission for such study, was rejected by the legisla- ture. Particular attention was given to conditions in existing almshouses. and to an investigation of the age problem and It's relation to employ ment in Connecticut industry. This latter analysis showed that in the 250 industrial plants studied the average age of male employees was 30. The principle of private retire. ment grants has gained recognition heavy cross-section of industry. the report notes.
 Among the members of the com mittee making the survey are two members of the Connecticut Division of the New England Council, C. l.. Campbell, vice-president of the Con- ncc.icut Light and Power company, Hartford, and George $. Hawlcy. president of the Bridgeport Gas Light company, Bridgeport.