Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-12-19

a ward heller, his
life is constantly beset with diff
culties. Those difficulties always have
and always will force him to wiggle
and squirm and sprout additional gray
hairs.
The newest problem worrying politi-
clans is the Townsend old age pension
proposal. Promoters Of that fantastic
scheme are gaining such Roadway
that even James A. Farley, postmaster
general, chairman of the Democratic
national committee and chairman of
the New York state Democratic COM
mittee, is currently reported to be de-
veloping frowns on his otherwise smil-
ing face. When Mr.. Farley begins to
get worried, there is cause, indeed, for
all of the other politicians, big and
little, to get worried. The Republicans
also are concerned about the Townsend
plan. But it is not quite as important
to the Republicans as it is to the
Democrats to take stand on the
Townsend plan because the Democrats
are in control of the national admin
istration and obviously they are on the
defensive.
The battle being pressed by Mr..
Townsend and his satellites is no small
concern. Impossible as it is of opera
ton; doomed to ultimate failure as
such scheme must definitely be, it
continues to expand in its scope of po-
litical influence and has arrived at the
point where it constitutes a power
that must be reckoned with by all.
am convinced that anyone who will
analyze the Townsend plan cannot
help arriving at the conclusion that it
is comparable to the fantasy of the
mississippi bubble" When the Missis-
sippi bubble broke, not thousands but
millions were disillusioned, if not ut
terly destroyed, and their economic
future, so glowingly painted, was COM
pletely wrecked.
The Townsend plan which contem-
plates payment of two hundred dollars
0WnSend digent is one of those
Plan things that develops
invariably in periods
Of economic distress. 1t is distinctly
product of hard times.
When people are out Of work and
without resources; when they are suf-
fering, they are always prey to any
and all argument offering them relief.
The conditions exact even a greater
toll, toll leading to crime. Only a
few days ago the chief of the secret
service, w. H. Moran, told me that it
was a characteristic of hard times that
counterfeiters of currency were more
active. Idle hands will find something
to do and the clever crook will take
advantage of the situation. While
every one who has talked with Doctor
Townsend recognizes his sincerity, his
earnest desire to accomplish relief for
the aged and INDECENT population, be-
lieve it is an indisputable fact that
Doctor Townsends plan would not get
to first base except for the fact that
this country now has millions of citi-
zens who are almost if not quite with
out food.
The point I am trying to make is
that Doctor Townsend's scheme, idle
dream that 1t is, has been put forward
at one of the few times in this nations
history when it is possible to amass a
following Of political Importance. It
is only in times such as these that
people would pay attention to it. It
will die down and his organization
will crumble sometime in the future
but this will not happen until it has
caused plenty of grief, until it has
wrecked political fortunes of countless
scores Of men and women who guess
wrong and until probably it has pro-
duced burden of taxation upon this
nation the like of which never has
been seen before.
In the Forthcoming campaign, I be-
iieve we will see numerous political
candidates, otherwise sound in their
thinking, affirm the validity Of the
Townsend plan. They will commit
themselves to its support because po-
litical maneuvers will force them into
that position. Some of them, probably
more than we now imagine, will be
elected to congress and they will bring
gigantic headache to Uncle Sam who
must foot the bill.
Townsend plan supporters in all Of
their preachments have consistently
talked of their proposition from its
beauteous side. 1t is susceptible of
that because 1t is easy to point out
what a blessing 1t would be to have
each aged person receive a monthly
check Of two hundred dollars from the
government.
But there is another side to the pic
ture. 1t is basic. Where will the gov
eminent get the money? Townsend
spokesman have figured out a vision
airy taxation scheme to raise the
amount of money required but the
thing they do not discuss is the funda-
mental fact that by their taxation
scheme they will depreciate our ma
tional currency and will load upon
those who are willing to work such a
burden of taxation that soon there