Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1934-10-11
RAILROADS SEEK INCREASE
~4A
STUDY OLD AGE PENSIONS
CAMPAIGN IN HIGH GEAR
SPENDING AN INCOME
ROoSEvELT's BRoADcAsTs

Railroads, seeking freight rate In
creases from the Interstate Com
merce Commission calculated I,
yield $172. 000, 900 annually In ad
ditional revenue. recently filed ,
statement showing that more thai
two-thirds of the Glass One railroad
mileage in the country was operated
at a loss of s9S, 700 900 during thu
first 7 months of this year. Othel
witnesses insisted that operating ex
penses have been increased by thu
economic policies of the Administra
ton especially in regard to wages
and materials.
Spokesmen for the roads declared
that the request was put forward II
all seriousness and that advances
proposed affected commodities which
1t was thought. would be able tc
bear the e advances. One witness
pointed out that the cost OF mater
ials increased 20.4 per cent over last
year and another testified that wage
agreements increased expenditures
SIT. 124 900 this year, but would In
volve s135, 900 900 when pay rates
were fully restored. The general
opinion is that far-reaching trans
p~ortation legislation will occupy the
new Congress next year.
A system OF establishing old age
pensions is wanted by the committee
on economic security, re cent1y
named by the President to recon-
mend social legislation. With some
thing like $1,000. 900 persons In the
United States above the age or six
ty, many OF which would be eligible
for pensions, the committee faces
the problem of raising the necessary
funds.
At present, t~wenty-eight states
have old age pension laws but In
only tWenty-three are the laws man
datory. Most OF them provide that
persons over a certain fixed age,
with less than a stated income, and
without children or near relatives to
support them. are entitled to such
aid. In fact, at the end OF 1883 pen
sions were being paid in sixteen
states and Alaska. Eventually, funds
for old age pensions will probably
come-from four sources, including
the employer, the employee, the
Government, with possibly young
persons being required to contribute
to the fund for their own support
later on.
With less than four weeks remain
Ing before the American electorate
passes judgement on Franklin ID.
Roosevelt's New Deal, the major par
ties are working hard and the cam
paign Is wide open. Many national
figures are expected to take the
stump with the Democrats working
to secure a t~wo-thirds majority In
the House and the Republicans saw
agely attacking the legislative rec
ord Of the last Congress and hoping
to capture enough seats to block
similar action next year.
The Democratic Committee has
issued a bulky guide book, outlining
the Administrations accom- s h.
ments and proposed additions to the
recovery program. The Republicans,
In recent pamphlets. attacked the
fiscal and farm policies OF the Adj
m~inistration. An interesting develop
ment Is the peace accord between
Governor Clifford Pinchot and Sena-
tor David A. Reed. Old Guard Repub
lican, Of Pennsylvania
The books OF the Federal Treas
ury for the first quarter Of the new
fiscal year which began on July LIST
shows an increase of more than for
ty percent in revenue over the same
period Of last year. Moreover, they
exceed revenues for a similar period
OF the prosperous year 1928-1929. or
course, income tax receipts are Oft
but liquor taxes, the processing tax
es, and those OF motor cars, gasoline
and other manufactured products
create the favorable condition.
Looking at the expense side of the
ledger, n observes that the Treas
ury has a deficit of more than $780,
900, 900. Nearly one-half Of the total
expenditures Is for public works and
Federal relief, with departmental ac-
tivities and the national defense ac-
counting for less than one-sixth OF
the total expenditures. Veterans
benefits and AAA payments amount
to about ten per cent each and debt
service almost eight percent.
Mr.. Roosevelt made the plea In
the sixth OF his radio talks to the
American people. In his report"
the President was calm but there
could be little doubt of his determin-
alton to see 1t through. His declara-
ton that he would stand or fall"
on the proposition that this country
did not intend to stand for millions
OF idle and unemployed as a perma-
nent condition indicates very post
lively that he plans further attacks
upon this great economic evil.
The latest OF the radio talks pres
co Unu q rpm nbncn nf fha rarnuary