The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-28
DRAFT PLAN TO
BRING SECURITY
Prevention of PreVentabIe
Hazards Is Keystone
of Program.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times Sports Editor

WASHINGTON, July pa new
and thoroughly American plan for
achieving economic security will be
laid before President Roosevelt by
the cabinet committee he appointed
to study the problem.
This was evident today from the
committees first announcement,
made through Labor Secretary
Frances Perkins.
Where European countries have
concentrated on insuring workers
against the economic hazards of
nfe-providing pillow for them to
fall on when old age, unemploy-
ment and other misfortunes over
take them-the plan for the United
States will emphasize prevention OF
all preventable hazards.
Insurance is to be part of 1t but
only part. 1T is one weapon IN the
war against economic insecurity"
said Secretary Perkins. 1T can not
be relied on as a total defense.
1T is much more important TO
Drevent disasters than to insure
people against them. To back in
surance with prevention is the
typical American way Of doing
things"
Works Despite Heat
The heat which has driven most
administration officials away from
the capital has not prevented the
committee on economic security
from organizing. surveying its prob
lem and charting a method OF at
tack. selecting a technical commit
tee of economists, lawyers and
others to advise it, and employing
an executive director who will give
all his time to assembling data on
the subject. correlating 1t. and
whipping il into shape for presenta-
ton to the President
This director. Edwin f. Witte'
chief of the Wisconsin legislative
reference department and protes-
sor of economics at University OF
Wisconsin. has already arrived here
and started work. The committees
report is to be in the hands of the
President Dec. l so his program can
be included in his first message 10
congress.
The committee does not intend 10
confne its studies to security for
manual laborers. 1t is equally con-
cerned about white collar workers
and about that large group winch
il Classics as observation-disclosures
working their own land. small bust
ness men, free lance writer's, den-
lists and professionals of all kinds.
Roosevelt Outlined Aims
II is not at all sure that it can
devise ways of guarding these peo-
pie from economic MISFORTUNE. but
it is going TO make its STUDY as
broad as human need.
President Roosevelt made TINS
broad approach possible when he
first discussed his security program
with congress.
Among our detectives I place the
security of men. women and chill
dren of the nation first" he SAID.
This security for the individual and
for the family concerns itself prl-
marilv with three factors. People
want decent homes to live in; they
want TO locate them where they can
engage in productive work ana they
want some safeguard against mis-
fortunes which can not be wholly
eliminated in this man-made world
OF ours Fear and worry, based
on unknown danger, contribute 10
social unrest and economic de-
moralization. If as our ConStitu-
ton tells us. our federal government
was established. among other things,
TO promote the general welfare 1t
is our plain duty to provide for that
security upon which welfare de-
pends.'
Business Opinion Sought
legislation at the next session of
congress probably will deal primarily
with unemployment and old age in
surance. President Roosevelt indi-
Gated this in his message and Miss
Perkins reiterated il. Years may be
required 10 work out the more diff
fcult tasks before the committee.
Prevention of unemployment in
wolves the whole recovery program
and is necessarily a matter OF ex-
pertinent and adjustment.