The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-16
THE OARP AND G.. O. +.

members of the Republican National Commit
I'VE tee meeting today in Washington will have
lot 10 say in maediction of the Roosevelt Admins
tration's spending Yet they probably will say moth
ing at all about what is most their minds-the
Townsend Old-Age Revolving Pension Movement
and its emergence and growth a political threat
They will then strain at the gna of the New Deals
relief and security program yet fail to gag at the
camel of this plan to spend half the national income
to pension eight to eleven million elders at 5000
month.
Their silence may be explained on several counts
Not a few old-line RepublCans-Rep. Earl Kitchener
of Michigan for instance-hope to retain or win seats
in Congress by riding on the good DR.. Townsend's
coat-tas incidentally, good many Democratic
congressman are also booking election reservations
on the "OARP, LIDO
Other G. O. P leaders possibly hope that Town
send Party will split the Democrats and let the Re
pubcans win next fall. And still others may rea-
son that this movement has passed the stage of
argument and become something akin to a religious
crusade, surcharged with faith and passion
But silence on the issues raised by DR.. Townsend
is neither courageous nor honest
GAY what you will of this plan to levy huge
~ sales tax on everybody in behalf of the oldsters
Denounce it as economically unSound, financially
perilous and socially unfair. You can not deny that
the yearnng for security in every Americans heart
is as authentic as his very will to live and pursue
happiness.
There is nothing fantastic about men desiring
security in country as bountfu as ours in natural
resources and technical development. Nor is the
dream of a $20O-a-month annuity at go. much if
any more visionary than Engineer Hoover's chicken
in every pot and two cars in every garage. Yet
how many wage-earners or salared farmers
in the tinsel days of Harding Coolidge and Hoover
lived in the knowledge that their toll and thrift
would reward them in their old age?
The Brookings Institution found that, in 1929
90 million families, or 10 per cent of the total were
living on incomes of $500 or less. And the COM
parative few who enjoyed than a hand-to-
mouth living and could lay aside some saving-how
did Old Guard leadership protect their investments?
The story of Oct. %, 1929 and after answers that
Had not President Roosevelt used Federal credit to
check and reverse the slump, many another bank
insurance house and investment concern would have
folded up wiping out billions of the peoples
savings.
Finally. what have those in control of the
Republican Party done since then to bring measure
of sanity and security to our society? What, but
throw bricks ut the Administrations Social Security
Act and its attempts to regulate investment houses
stock exchanges and utility holding companies?
DR. TOWNSEND cries a plague both the Re
81 publican and Democratic houses. He and his
aroused flock should know, if they do not know it,
that the human hazards which sent them on their
quest for security inherent in the let-alone
system of those good old days" to which the Old
Guard is calling back the country.
The Presidents New Deal policies have not as
RIt hoe with
cess to save the homes the jobs, the incomes and
the investments of the people. And he is striving
to evolve system that will make life more Sc
cure in the future.
In soft-pedaling the Townsend movement it is
likely that the Old Guard leaders are outsnlart-
ing themselves? Will the rank and file of Repub-
can again follow these leaders if they ignore
the challenge of a movement spawned out of the
abuses tolerated in their pseudo prosperity rule? Or
If they hypocritically try use this movement as
ramp upon which to try to climb back to power?