The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1935-02-07
Social Security

WaSnlnStoH.-1A
vears talking, social security pro-
cram is before congress. And now
that e is before congress there IS
= brand new ouUburst of talk, De
sanse it seems the social secur-
arsn never can agree among them
selves. The result is that leader
ahip in the house and in the senate
Is trying vainly to follow admins
tration instructions. ad has run
afoul Of all kinds OF difficulties.
The end is not yet, but it is SAFE
- saw without fear of any necess-
NV for retraction that the social
security program will not go back
~ President Roosevelt as law IN
the form it was presented as an
administration bill
find everywhere among those
NOT charged with responsibility Tor
the social security legislation that
there is much confusion am lack
OF underst anding IS to what me
President has proposed. 1t il easily
understood. Any time that 1t re-
uuires thirty thousand words to
explain a piece of legislation OBJ
yiously that legislation must be
complex To comprehend what the
length of Mr.. Roosevelts social
security message is, it is only ne
ccssary, / think, to remind readers
that the message with it's explana-
ton would fill approximately 30
columns of an ordinary newspaper.
Many persons naturally will fall
asleep before they wade through
that much material.
But, let us attempt to sunnsar-
lie the social security bill. 1t pro-
s:t'cs, first, 10. /. national system
oil compulsory contil utory old
a.. insurance; seconi. it author
;zcs appropr atoms !. be used as
:eie. al subsidies (plain gifts) 10
che j. dividua! states - h p them
rers.. n the sgca1 who cannot be
h.,lght under an Insurance. sys-
t@m predicateG upoa their service
in commerce ;.Ga. Industry and
third, volunt RI system Of old
az. ennuities is set up.
The system of compulsory con-
tributory old age insurance is de-
signed to protect those who are no
longer able to work, but who have
done their turn on the payrolls of
industry. An old age fund is set
up in the treasurer of the United
States. Initially the money comes
from the treasury, but thereafter
there is tax operating on payrolls
of all those who employ workers
in numbers exceeding four. This
tax will start January 1, 1887, at
q rate of 1 percent. 1t is increas-
ed to percent, as of January /,
1912 8 percent as of January /,
1947; 4 percent as of January 1,
1852, and 5 percent after January
1, 1857. The employer pays the
tax, but he collects half Of it by a
deduction from the payroll of the
individual worker.
The age of sixty-five years is
fixed as the time when "a worker
shall retire and receive this pen
sion. The pensioner can receive
as much as $50 month. If the in
dividual dies before retirement, his
dependents receive back the
amount paid in in his behalf.
As part Of the old age pension
system the legislation sets up an
old age fund in which workers may
purchase an annuity, but they new
or may acquire more than total
OF $1,000 maturity value-the ulti-
mate amount-from which their in
come may be increased.
Then there is the much discuss
ed unemployment insurance. This
also is predicted upon tax on in
dustrial payrolls, but it is a state
proposition. That is, the federal
government is attempting to en-
courage individual states to enact
legislation which will protect the
worker in periods such as that