Milford chronicle., 1936-12-18
old Age Plan Registration
Far Short Of Expectation

The Security Board is boldly pub
hcizing its present drive to register
the 26 million "eligibles," under the
old age retirement plan. Behind the
scenes. however. there is real con-
cern.
Registration is falling far short of
expectations. 1t now looks as if a
small army Of personal solicitors
will require many months to COM
plete the job of obtaining registra-
tion and. assigning an account num-
Der to every person embraced with
in the law.
The information returns" requir-
ed of all employers were due NoVem-
Der "a. More than 100000 blanks
were distributed. The board estimat-
ed that approximately 100000
would be returned to them by this
time. However, only 100000 have
come in.
'DeadllRe" Extended
All registration applications from
"eligible" wage earneFs were due to
be filed not later than Tuesday, De-
cember 8. But owing 10 the slow re-
turn of applications the "deadline"
has been extended to December IS.
A 100 per cent response would mean
approximately 26,0O0,OOO registra-
tions. No information is as yet avail
able as to the number of applica-
tions so far received. It is not likely
that the board will be in any hurry
to issue figures. To do so would be
a give away.
The board is very much "up in
the air" over what to do about re-
caleitrants. The POstofiice Depart
ment, however, will complete a list
of all employers who are "delin-
Quent," and turn 1t over to the
board. Every postOfice will conduct
a Thorough canvass" of delinquents.
Both employers and employees
who fail to file the necessary infOr-
nation are subject to a $4,000 fine
and a years Imprisonment. Internal /
Revenue officials, charged with col !
lection of the tax, presumably will
be responsible for starting prosecu- |
tiOns No course has yet been map |
ped.
the old age retirement plan com
mence to accrue on January l, and
are payable monthly. The Internal
Revenue Bureau, under present reg
ulations, provides that actual tax
collections will commence in Feb
ruary. But the procedure for the col
lection of these taxes requires that
every taxpaying employer must have
his individual account number" so
that the government records may
credit each account with its share of
the employers tax remittance.
The registration and assignment
of Identification and account num-
bers is an Indispensable prerequisite
to the smooth functiOning of the tax
collection machinery.
Serious Problem Presented
Thus the present and prospective
and neglect 20 regis
ter, present a serious admilistra-
live problem. What will probably
happen will be that, beginning the
first of January, employers will be
warned" that they must require all
then in their employ to pro- :
-ide themselves with account num- :
ers" and must in the future refuse 3
to any person who can I
ot produce a registration card.
It now appears that many per- !
ons are proceeding upon the as =
umption that if they do not register J
ley may escape the payroll deduc- }
ons; others who are indifferent as 9
} whether their pay is ''dOcked," or 2
ho figure they will require" their =
mployer to give them their full n
ages" without any tax deduction; 4
hers who, for a variety Of reasons,
0n't want to be identified in the
1vernment files in Washington.
Taking cognizance of the fact that L
any persons are living and work S
g under an assumed name, the G
ecurity Board announces that per- II
ms are privileged to register" s.
lder whatever name they were now a
ling, irrespective of whether or not el
was their true name. q
RepercussiOns Expected III
The present registration cam
ign will probably have repeFcus- 81
pms when Congress cOnvenes, and u
we an important bearing on the ID
rection of prospective changes in L
e social security law. III