Evening star., 1932-11-12
Next Congress to Get Meas
ure Benefiting Certain
Persons Over SO.
PROPOSED LEGISLATION
INCLUDES NO FIGURES
Drawn by Committee From Civic
and Charitable Organizations
After Careful Study.

Based on careful study of old-age
pension laws throughout the United
States, many in foreign countries, and
bills previously introduced in Congress
for this city, new old-age pension bill
for the District of Columbia has been
drafted for introduction in Congress al
the next session, providing for payment
of pensions to certain persons over the
age of SO years.
The draft prepared by committee
representing various civic and charitable
organizations will be carefully con-
sidered and submitted later in final
form to Chairman Capper of the Senate
District Committee and Chairman Nor
ton of the House District Committee for
introduction in Congress.
In its present form the bill would
pension a worthy citizen Of either sex
of the age of 60 years and over who
has lived in the District for 10 years
or more, is not an inmate of Jail, work
house, insane asylum or any other
public reformatory or correctional insti-
tuition, has no child or other person
able to support him, has not made g
voluntary assignment or transfer OF
property for the purpose Of qualifying
for assistance, nor is professional
beggar or tramp.
No Figures Included.
No figures are included in the bill tc
show how much each individual would
get each month, but the operation OF
the act, together with the authority fol-
fixing this sum, Is placed in the hands
of the Board of Public Welfare. Pen
altieS are provided to be imposed In
cases of fraud that might be attempted
The committee drafting the bill i;
formed from various civic and chari-
table organizations and is headed by
Leifur Magnusson, president of the
Permanent Committee on Old-Age Pen
sions. The special committee has
worked out its latest draft based on
some six bills previously introduced by
Senators Copeland, Capper and Dill
and Representatives Norton and FitZ-
gerald. together with the old-age pension
laws of various States. Actual prepara-
ton of the draft of the proposed legis-
lation has been in the hands of sub
committee on legislation, composed OF
President MagnusSon, James F. Duhamel
as chairman, Mrs Caroline Hogue as
secretary, Mrs Elizabeth T. Sullivan
Mrs. Lillian Detre, Mrs. Louis Often
berg, Mrs. Milton Strasburger. E. w
olSSlOht pLCoCA1tdtlfC OOAul
Small Of South Carolina, william c.
Lee. William J. Neale, John Colpoys and
w. S. Ufford.
Mr. Duhamel chairman of the SUBJ
committee. introduced the first old-age
pension bill in the United States in
the New York Senate, of which he was
a member in 1911, when he was col
league of President-elect Roosevelt for
two years and half An amusing
feature of the introduction of the bill
in the New York Senate, Mr.. Duhamel
recalled, was that the measure was re-
fused consideration by the Judiciary
Committee because it was supposed to
be socialistic measure presented to a
Democratic Senate. New York adopted
the system In 1929 and it Is said by Mr..
Duharnel to be working most success
fully"
Works in 80 Countries.
As evidence of the success and popu-
larity of the old-age pension system,
Mr.. Duhamel said it now is working in
80 foreign countries. Seventeen States
and Alaska have adopted old-age pen
sion laws and have found it far cheaper,
Mr.. Duhamel says, than the aims
houses. Many unfortunates under the
old-age pension law, he explained. may
find comfortable homes with relatives
or friends for small monthly sum.
Statistics from all of the States where
such a law exists show that the average
payment is about $3.50 month, while
the cost in buildings of almshouses,
their upkeep in light, heat, repairs, at
tendance, laundrying, food and other
items showed the cost per inmate to be
two to four times the figure for bene-
ficiaries under the pension act.
The general purpose of the new
legislation, Mr.. Duhamel declared, is ito
provide the aged poor and INDECENT with
a moderate sum for their comfort in
declining years which may enable them
to live IN self-respecting conditions
without the undesirable poorhouse
taint."
The proposed new law will be care
fully considered at symposium before
the Monday Evening Club at the VIII
lard Hotel November 81, when members
Of the committee drafting the measure
will present the whole matter.