Evening star., 1935-01-20
Rate by Mail-Payable in Advance.
More and Bigger Pensions.

The echoes of President Roosevelt's
social security program had scarcely
quieted down in the House and Sem
ate chambers before the clamor for
more and bigger old-age pensions
arose. The $50 limit for persons
sixty-five years of age and older in
the Presidents program, with some
what larger pensions for the aged
after the compulsory system has been
, In effect for twenty or thirty years,
made no appeal to the Townsendites
or to the large group in this country
which exists continually with its hands
out. Thirty dollars is too little in
their opinion. The effort to increase
the amount, perhaps to $50 or $50 a
month, is to be made when the
legislation for old-age pensions comes
up for consideration. Indeed, Repre-
sentative McGroarty of California,
sponsor In the House for the Town.
send $20o-a-month old-age pensions
will seek to have that plan substituted
for the Presidents.
The President has urged the Con-
eress not to be too ambitious in
starting the social security program
lest it 80 to excess and fail. The
old-age pension idea, however, has
made its appeal to millions of persons
throughout the country. Some of
them are old, some of them are tired
Of taking care of old people. and
all Of them who have not yet become
old are looking ahead to the time
when they will attain the age of
sixty. All kinds of arguments are
advanced to prove that the Govern
ment should pension the aged. They
have had their effect on members
Of Congress, whose sensitive ears
are trained close to the ground and
wiz al dO1C W 0ClCSG a S"C1111S
sentiment almost at moments notice
Millions Of signatures are being OBJ
tained to a petition for the Town
send plan. There has been some
suggestion of a march of the aged
on Washington to impress Congress
and the President.
Whether Congress will allow itself
to be stampeded remains to be seen.
The Presid ent has taken a wise course.
He has presented a plan which will
greatly aid the aged If it is adopted.
A system Of excessive old-age pen
sions can In the end only bring
failure and distress. The Townsend
plan is the latest perpetual motion
device. It proposes to place money
in motion on a huge scale and see
to it that 1t never stops moving. 1t
has a pleasant sound. But there is
always some hitch in these perpetual
motion machines. They bog down
sooner or later. Under the Townsend
plan every man and woman sixty
years of age and more would receive
5000 a month and be compelled to
spend it during the following month.
The payment OF the pensions,
amounting to something like $2O,-
ooo,ooo,ooo a year, would be financed
by national sales tax.
The Townsendites would make sixty
the golden age. Not only would each
man and woman receive 5000 a month
upon entering the charmed circle, but
neither man nor woman would be
permitted to have job, to work at
gainfm enterprise. Presumably a
farmer who became sixty years old
would no longer be permitted to plow
or hoe or rake, or even do chores.
Like the old maid who was about to
enter into heavenly rest after a life
OF toll. the man or woman who
stood on the brink of old age could
say: Don't weep for me now, don't
weep for me never, for I'm going to
do nothing forever and ever"
The Congress can keep its feet on
the ground and follow the recon-
mendations Of the President or it
can, like the tabled COW, Jump over
the moon.