Evening star., 1935-01-16
T0WNSEND'S BILL
OFFERED IN HOUSE
McGroarty Sponsors Old.
Age Pension Scheme.
Foes Warned.
By the Associated Press.

Dy VAC hSSOSidtcu FEtSSs
Expressing confidence Of enactment.
Representative McGroarty. Democrat.
OF California today introduced in Con-
gress a bill to effect the Townsend
plan, whereby the Federal Govern
ment would pay 5000 a month to per-
sons over so.
Under the proposition, which the
administration opposes as impractical,
the recipients would have to spend the
cash within 80 days.
Sitting beside the Capitol sponsor
Of his proposal in press conference
just before the bill went in, DR.. Fran
els E. Townsend, shared his fellow
Californians optimism and added:
The members are going to do
what their constituents tell them to,
and they will tell them in no uncer-
tain terms. If they hope to come
back, members of Congress will not
dare to go against the people
Miss Perkins Attacked.
Introduction of the bill came on
the eve Of the Roosevelt message to
Congress on unemployment insurance
and old-age pensions. presumably en-
bodying a plan which the New Deal
will invoke against the Townsend SEN
timent.
The California doctor took occa-
sion TO attack Secretary Perkins re-
cent condemnation of his proposal
and to question the effectiveness of
the New Deal in general.
Townsend said 95 members of Con-
gresS were supporters of the measure,
and predicted that sufficient additional
Representatives would be converted"
to enable its proponents to force
consideration.
L have been assured that every
member who desires to come back to
Washington in 1886 will vote for our
bill, Townsend said. The fact that
there was only a three million diff
ference in the votes cast by Demo-
Gratis and Republicans in the recent
election. will cause the majority party
members of Congress TO think twice
before rejecting this bill which the
people so emphatically want passed.
McGroarty, serving his first term
IN Congress. is Democratic Representa-
tive of the same Golden State dis
trict where Townsend served for many
years as an employe of the Long
Beach Health Department. He worked
closely with Townsend in developing
the plan.
Was Newspaper COlumnist.
A quiet. gray. slightly stopped man,
who was born in Pennsylvania, he was
well known on the Pacific Coast as a
newspaper columnLst before running
for Congress.
Townsend has estimated S24,000..
900 900 annually would be required to
pay the pensions This would be raised
by per cent tax on the gross dol
lar value of all business, commercial
and financial transactions.
The vital section of the measure de-
filming those eligible for the pension
states:
BE it enacted that every Cit
izen Of the United States, sixty (60).
years of age and over. or who shall at
tain the age of sixty 600 years after
the passage of this act. while actually
residing Ill the United states, Snal pe
entitled to receive, upon application
and qualification, pension in the
sum Of two hundred dollars $4,000
per month during the life of the pen
sioner, provided
Remunerative Work Barred.
"(A} The pensioner shall discon-
tinue and refrain from all gainful
competitive pursuits or salaried posi-
tionS of any kind.
"(B) The pensioner shall covenant
and agree that he or she will within
thirty 800 days of receipt of said
pension expend all of the same for
goods. commodities or services, within
the Jurisdiction of the United States.
go Proof of age and citizenship
shall be according to the law and pro-
cedure of the State of residence of the
pensioner.
"(D) This pension shall be wholly
exempt from attachment, garnishment
or execution"