Evening star., 1933-12-31
Old-Age Pensions.

Senator Capper adds his Endorsement
TO a growing list of favorable COM
ments from individuals and organiza-
tions in Washington who hope for the
passage of an old-age pension law LOT
the District at the coming session OF
Congress. Sentiment for this legislation
has been increasing steadily, and the
Citizens Committee on Old-Age Sc
curity for the District of Columbia has
proposed a bill, sponsored in the House
by Representative Loring Black and IN
the Senate by Senator Copeland. On
Friday night a public meeting, to be
held at the United States Chamber OF
Commerce. will be addressed by Mrs.
Roosevelt, Senators Capper and Cope
land, Mr.. Black and others. who will
explain the principles supporting such
legislation.
Twenty-six of the States and two
territories have old-age pension laws on
their statute books now. generally ex-
pressing the principle that the lndl-
gent aged are entitled to a measure OF
support from the community. Twelve OF
the States fix the age of eligibility to
benefits at sixty-fve; thirteen at sew
entv and one at siXty-eight. The DIS
trict bill proposes sixty-eight, which
is the age of retirement for civil service
employees.
Some of the States fix fiat rate OF
benefit, such as dollar day, seven
dollars and a half a week, twenty-five
dollars a month or $3.50 a year. The
District bill follows the laws OF Massa-
chusetts and New York in setting no
arbitrary scale Of pension, leaving that
matter, as in the mothers pension act,
to the discretion of the Board OF Pub
lie Welfare, which. of course, would be
influenced in decisions by circum-
stances and by the level Of prices de-
ternining cost Of living. 1t is said that
experience in administering such legls-
lation shows the average under the ols-
cretionary rate payment to be less than
a dollar day.
The District bill considers as eligible
those who, without means OF support
from relatives or from ownership OF
nroperty. have reached the age limit,
are citizens of the United States and
who have lived in Washington for the
ten years preceding application. The
1890 census showed a total OF 27,253
persons in the District over SlXty-tlVe
wears old. The total number OF per-
sons in private old peoples homes here
exclusive of Blue Plains and the Sol
diers' Home, is about LAP. When CAL
ifornia's law was enacted fifteen per
cent of the residents OF such homes
came out on pensions the flrst year
At Blue Plains the increase In the num-
Der of residents has been accelerated
by the depression. Between 1916 and
1917 the average was $50. In l92l
there was a jump to 4o7, in 1882 10
532 and in 1888 to 674. The quarters
there are crowded and it has been estl-
mated that $50 persons must be cared
for in 1885. There have been similar
increases In some OF the private n0llleS,
and the burden of institutional care
for the aged has been increasing to
the point where the institutions must
be greatly enlarged or pension sys-
tenn inaugurated.
The average cost per person at Blue
Plains is about $3.50 a month, winch
is said to be less than the average pen
sion payments. Those who have studied
the principles of the old age pension
and are supporting the bill for the DIS
trict contend that the time has come
for decision on a question which they
put as follows:
Shall we use public funds to increase
institutional capacity when we nave the
precedent of more economical,
humane and scientific way OF caring
for our aged?
The total cost of the District old age
pension system as proposed has not
been computed. In these days the cost
becomes one of the highly significant
elements. Such estimates should be
made and studied when the proposed
bill receives the sympathetic consldera-
ton by congressional committees that 1t
deserves.