Evening star., 1935-04-12
GOAL Of SECURITY
SEEN AS DISTANT
Miss Roche Points to Grow.
ing Line of Dependency
in 1920.30 Decade.

The people of America face long.
hard struggle in overcoming the
evils of social insecurity before the
country can be put on proper basis,
Miss Josephine Roche, Assistant Sec
retary of the Treasury, told the Wash
ington Council of Social Agencies at
its annual meeting yesterday.
There is urgent need, Miss Roche
said, for passage of the social security
bill, carrying allotments for State and
Federal public health services. She
said that of approximately 5000
counties in the United States only 528
have full-time health officers. Preser-
vation of. health. she said. must stand
as one of the most important factors
in economic security.
Miss Roche pointed out that in 1929
when the stock market boom was at
its height, the income of the average
American was only sl.475 year
that A per cent of the people had an
income of less than 81 900 and 10 per
cent less than Sl,500
Dependency Line Mounts.
At the same time. she said. during
the 10 years from 1920 to 1880 there
had been "a mounting line of de-
pendency," one-third of the people
reaching old age being dependent
upon others for the bare necessities
of life. and fewer than 10 per cent Of
those dying within that period leav-
ing an estate sufficiently large to be
probated.
She said people should not be de-
ceived as to the actual happenings in
the good old days." even though large
numbers of people with special privi-
lege minds" would like to see them
return. She warned that the causes
of the depression were deep-rooted
and that it would take as long to
overcome them as it had for them to
develop.
Dealing with the need for increased
Federal aid for health purposes, Miss
Roche pointed out that 1000 rural
counties housing approximately rs
per cent OF the rural population are
without any appreciable health serv-
ice. She also said conditions in
smaller cities and some of the larger
ones are getting to be practically as
bad. Health projects had been re-
duced during 1885, while at the same
time not more than half of the State
health departments are adequately
equipped, she said.
Report on Work Given.
? Miss Roche, principal speaker at
the annual meeting, was introduced
by Sanford Bates, president of the
Council of Social Agencies.
Mrs. w. A. Roberts. executive Sec
retary of the council, gave a brief
report on the work for the year. nam
ing the Is committees which had
been instrumental in carrying out
the plans sponsored by the council.
Reporting for the Nominating Com
mittee. Mrs. Harry Bernton. chair
man. offered the following nomina-
tions. for which the secretary was
unanimously directed to cast a single
ballot: For members at large for a
one-year period. Mrs. Henry Grattan
Doyle, Rev. j. Hillman HolliSter, Wal
ter S. Ufford, Mrs. Jesse Adkins, John
Ihlder. Lewis Merriam, j. Bernard
Wyckoff. Clarence Phelps Dodge, Mrs
Walter S. Ufford. Willard c. Smith,
DR.. Frederic w. Perkins, Mrs. Whit
man Cross and Mrs, Archibald Hop
kins; for reelection to the Board of
Directors for three years. Mrs. Owen
j. Roberts; for election for three
years, Louis Gutenberg, John Ihlder,
Mrs. William Kittle and DR.. George
G. Ruhland; for election for two
years, Mrs. Dwight Clark; for election
for one year, Miss Anne Carter
Greene.