The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-10-20
Cost of Keeping Aged Under Existing
Plan Averages S506 a Year-Pen-
sion Law Would Reduce This
to $500 a Year or Less

Poorhouses were first established
during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
the first poor law being enacted in
that country in 1901. The poor laws
of many of the states of the United
ancient English poor law system.
Probably when these laws were first
enacted in England there was much
grumbling on the part of taxpayers
who could not see the necessity of be-
ing compelled to pay to maintain the
aged INDECENT of that day.
Beginning about so years ago in
Germany and other European coun-
tries, through the enactment of laws,
better methods of caring for deserv-
| ing aged citizens were adopted. To-
day there are 40 of the major coun-
tries of the world that have such
laws. The United States is one of
the few remaining countries that has
not enacted such legislation. How
ever. 25 states in the nation now
have old age pension laws. Similar
measures have also been enacted in
Alaska and Hawaii.
Advocates of old age pension claim
that this method of caring for the
aged is less expensive than maintain
mig them in poor houses. Facts have
been compiled by the United States
government and by research bureaus
showing that the average monthly
amount received by old age pensioners
is $1432 Rarely do pensioners re-
ceive the maximum amount provided
They usually have some other means
of support or can aid in maintaining
themselves. These facts have been
clearly established in the pension sys-
TENS maintained by the state of New
York, Massachusetts and Connecticut
Montana was the first state to en-
act an old age pension law. The sys-
tenn has been in operation there for
the last eight years. No state has
ever repealed its old age pension law
Ohio has had the subject of old age
pensions before it for the last le
years. The Ohio Fraternal Order OF
Eagles and the Ohio State Federation
of Labor have for 10 years continu-
ously conducted a campaign to bring
about the enactment of this legisla-
ton.
Statistics compiled for Ohio show
that the average cost to keep per
son in a poorhouse is $500 per year
If the proposed law which is now be-
fore the voters of Ohio is approved
at the election in November, is adopt
ed, it provides a maximum pension
of $500 per year. If the maximum
pension were granted, say advocates
of old age pensions, it would NEAR
a saving of $206 per year per per
son aided.
The money needed to help these ole
people will not come from tax OF
real estate This is so because of thu
property tax limitation in our Ohit
constitution.
The depression has wiped out th'
savings of thousands of old people
Through no fault of their own the,
are now dependent on charity. Advo
Gates of pensions are asking thi
question: "How long will Ohio, on
of the great states in the nation
permit self-respecting, needy age'
citizens to be humiliated and de
graded by being compelled to spen'
the sunset of their lives in poor
houses, the victims of harsh publ
charity?"
With old age pensions, there is n
overhead to pay for; no buildings an,
equipment to maintain. In Ohio, ac
| cording to United States government
| figures, % per cent of the none.
| spent for maintaining a person in
poorhouse goes for salaries, wages
| etc. How much better to let the able
bodied old folk wait on themselves i
their own homes 1t also mean
money in the pockets of the taxpay
J ers.