The Western news., 1935-05-16

against the gag rule an opportunity
was afforded, although in limited way,
to present the various proposals. Had
a rule been adopted, however, which
would have permitted direct record
vote, the outcome, even at this session,
might have been greatly altered in
favor Of the McGroarty bill. We need
not seek far for confederation of this
The chair reported only 56 standing in
favor of the McGroarty bill, while IS
had signed the petition to discharge the
Ways and Means committee from con-
sideration of the unamended McGroarty
bill The fact of the matter is that a
direct vote could not be had, and con-
sequently the real strength of an ade-
quate pension at this session of con-
gress cannot be known.
One other benefit resulted. Sneering
at liberal pensions has subsidized and a
degree of respect is accorded the view
that such pensioning is one way of end
ing the depression. The bill which
passed the house was merely a pre-
tense at pensioning, since most state1
have inadequate if any law at all on
lllG SuDlGIt liidttGi vi Jill dEG PIliSlottS.
Even in those states where the pension
is, for example, $50 a month-the
amount which must be paid is not COM
pulsory, is pro-rated according to the
amount of monies collected. Montana
pioneered the field Of old age pension
ing and yet the average pension is only
about SIS to $40 and the highest pension
have known to be paid there was $40
The bitter disappointment that the
people will experience at not receiving
an adequate pension as a result of the
bill passed by the house, will bring the
next congress into session fired with
enthusiasm rather than antagonism FOR
liberal pension such as was provided
for by the McGroarty bill. Far from be-
ing defeat the standing vote regist-
cred on the Townsend plan was in ac-
tuality a moral victory when we con-
slider the history of great national
movements. 1t took fifteen years to
repeal prohibition. 1t took approximate
ly twenty years to accomplish woman
suffrage. When the bonus was first
voted on in the house, its strength was
surprisingly small 1t took approximate
ly twenty years of battle on the part OF
the Railroad Brotherhoods, with that
powerful newspaper, Labor, bespeaklnp
its cause to accomplish enactment oi
| the railroad retirement bill 1t is safe to
say that the. McGroarty bill has had q
greater number of original supporters
| than any of these movements, both in
side and outside of congress. Far from
being defeated, a real, substantial ole
age pension has received its first great
impetus and victory and it would moi
| surprise me to find the next session o1
congress enacting a bill which ap-
proaches the McGroarty bill in its re-
vised form.
The malady affecting our nation il
maldistribution of wealth. Machine pro-
duction from endless chain belts tc
mighty steam shovels, occasioning COM
pulsory, permanent unemployment Is
| landmark of that uneven distribution
| where the few have much too much
and the many have much too little
Proper and effective regulation anc
legislation would conquer that condi-
ton Jobs, and jobs alone, can accom-
plish recovery. President Roosevelt sait
in his great inaugural address, which
was like voice from Heaven to ths
people of America: "Our greatest pri-
mary task is to put people to work
I can conclude in no better fashion thar
by restating the remarks concluding
debate on the floor:
Enact law which will take a suf,
ficient number Of men out of industry
and enact again law that will GU
down drastically the hours of labor
these two measures and those two alone
will fulfill the desire Of the grea
President of our republic.
Again / repeat, the cause is not lost
| We have only begun our fight.