The Omaha guide., 1934-12-08
TOWNSEND OLD AGE PENSION

Perhaps the greatest ray of hope to
warm the feeble hearts and unsteady hands
Of the 10 million old people in the United
States, to stimulate them to Jealous efforts IN
the evening of their lives is the Townsend
Old Age Pension pl@n.
One must indeed by outside the pale
of Christian brotherhood to sit idly by and
watch the work and efforts of these people in
an endeavor to carry the message Of the Town
send Pension plan, without lending unstlnt-
ingly every means at his command to help
carry the message to all of the people. On
all sides We see aged people in their feeble
ATTEMPT to inform the public Of the Townsend
Old Age Pension plan and what itmeans, not
only to the aged who have at best a dark and
dismal future, but also what it means to the
rehabilits ION 0 these United States We
readily lend our assistance in placing before
the public his plan calculated to steady the
f~altering steps and make secure the declining
years of those who have given a full measure
Of devotion to these glorious United States.
DIR. F.. e. Townsend, city physician Of
Long Beach, Calf, in caring for the indig-
ent sick whose life's Swings have been swept
away or whose daily toll was hardly suffic-
lent to furnish necessities Of life, felt him
self impelled to devise a cure for two of soc
iety's menaces want and proverty in old age,
and the depression. DR.. Townsend's plan
rovides a retirement pension for all citizens
of the U. S. over the age of 60 in the sum Of
5000 per onth This money made available
to trade and industry will at once become a
prime factor inthe manufacture end purchase
of commodities. 1t will go into the regular
channels 0 trade for clothing, home and other
necessities of life.
Some of the essentials of the plan are:
the pensiOner must be a citizen Of the U. S.,
over 60 years of age, and must retire from
gainful occupation, his or her record must be
free from habitual criminality and the entire
pension must be spent from month to month
within the U. S.
This plan as proposed, will remove from
the field of industry eight million workers and
will solve the unemployment problem. Two
billion dollars spent monthly in all sections Of
the country would give the entire population of
the q. S. additional $14 per capita in spending
ability each month, enough to raise the stand
ard of living very materially from the present
low level, but quite within the nation s ability
to provide. Aims houses would be closed and
the necessity for the present dole system would
be at an end.
Democracy is on trial. Shall we be
Christians enough to provide means and sus-
tenance for the down trodden, aged, and de-
crepit citizens who lived a glorious past, but
face a very uninviting future. We should re
tire our old people to the great security of
a competency in their old age under their own
vine an dig trees, all fear of proverty, priva-
ton, and perjury gone forever with plenty of
money to pay the bill when it shall come due,
thereby making our lives a grand example for
our poSteritv.
Lives Of great men oft remind us,
We may make ourlivessublime,
And departing. leave hch'~d VIC.
Footprints on the sands of time,
Footprints that perhaps another,
Sailing DER LIES solemn main
A forlorn and ship wrecked brother,
Seeing may take hold again"