The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-08-28
SOCIAL SECURITY"

used loosely by many American citizens.
This has come about as a result of the
passage by Congress of what is called the
Social Security Act. 1t provides for a
great increase in the social service to be
rendered the people of America, through
Federal cooperation with the various
states but does not include every essential
of social security.
The Federal-State proposed program
embraces nine different objects, each of
which stands aside and apart from the
others. Only one phase goes into opera
ton automatically as a result of the Fed
eral legislation. All others included re-
quire state assent and cooperation, al
though pot all of them necessitate APP
preparations by the state government
Unemployment compensation acts
have already been passed by number of
states, to act in cooperation with the
United States. The Federal Act provides
for contributions from employers in pro-
portion to their payrolls, and to encourage
states to set up their own acts employers
in any state may pay ninety per cent of
administrations and receive credit against
the Federal tax. All administrative costs
are paid by the Federal Government. This
plan has been devised to protect workers
from the insecurity of unemployment, and
after a few years it is expected to take
care of the normal periods of unemploy-
ment.
Aid for the aged is another important
item in the program. 1t is of two forms. A
Federal Old Age Benefit plan is effective
without state cooperation, whereby begin
ming next year payroll assessments against
employer and employee will gradually fur
nish a sufficient sum to pay monthly
amounts to workers when they reach the
age of sixty-five. For the present, before
the foregoing plan can be set up, and for
the benefit of those not covered by it, the
Federal Government offers to pay one
half of what total sum the individual
states pay as assistance to their needy
aged. All administrative features and
most of the legislative details are left in
dividually to the respective states
Children will be helped very greatly
by the program. Four different plans are
included for their benefit. The states are
offered Federal grants for the following
purposes: to aid mothers in caring for de-
pendent children; to improve maternal
and child health services and prevent in
FAINT and mothers mortality; to extend and
improve child welfare services and to
treat and cure children who are crippled
as far as is humanity possible. The in
dividual states are encouraged to set up
their own programs by receiving liberal
Federal grants if they do.
This leaves three other portions of
the Federal Social Security program. Aid
to the needy blind is similar in it's scope as
the Old Age Assistance Public health
services in the various states will be ex-
tended by grants of money from the Fed
eral Government. Then, the amounts
available for vocational rehabilitation
have been increased, requiring states to
jured in industrial or other accidents, can
be made whole and self-supporting.
The entire program is we'll worth the
enthusiastic support of the American peo-
pie. 1t will reduce human suffering and
misery 1t will provide for many who can
of life which have overtaken them. 1t is
the application of the Christian doctrines
of love and service in the relationship of
government and citizen.