The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-04-30
TODAY'S WELFARE MEASURES
ARE TOMORROW'S INSURANCE
AGAINST DEPENDENCY,
WANT AND CRIME

WANT AND CRIME
"Today's welfare measures are to-
morrow's insurance against the fur
Their spread of want and dependency,
delinquency and crime" Jane M
Hoey, Director of the Bureau of Pub
lie Assistance of the Social Security
Board, said in an address before the
Joint Conference of the Washington
Council of Social Agencies and the
Maryland State Conference of Social
Work.
social Security is not just mat
ter of handing out money to worthy
public causes and needy individuals;
rather it is a service program" Miss
Hoey told the Social Work groups.
Neither the Social Security Act,
nor any other act of government can
guarantee security to anyone"
Miss Hoey said.
"The Social Security Act is based
on the assumption that men and wo-
men of the present and future, like
those of the past, will want to get on
in the world; that they will make
every effort to better their own lot;
it presupposes that business and in
dustry will continue to provide OPP
portunities for work and for eco
nomic advancement"
The Social Security program i'm
posed on the States by the Federal
Government, but, with the exception
Of old-age benefits, the Social Secur-
ity Act is national only in the sense
that it establishes a nationwide
framework, Miss Hoey emphasized.
This State Federal relationship
should help clarity and bring into
closer cooperation the work of the
various State agencies which have
been operating in the past, she said.
The Nation, by including in the
Social Security Act provisions for
old-age benefits and unemployment
compensation, has at last recognized
the necessity of social legislation
aimed directly at the prevention of
future dependency, Miss Hoey said.
Now, for the first time, the major
ity of our people will be able to build
up protection against want during
temporary unemployment and during
the years after they are too old for
regular work"
Gains from the Social Security Act
both direct and indirect, are already
evident and will become more so as
it rounds out it's ctivities-direct
gains in relief of suffering, ill health,
want and fear forestalled; indirect
gains in reduced burdens upon pub
lie and private relief agencies and in
the increasing self-sufficiency of our
citizens" Miss Hoey said, and con-
tinued in part:
Through this comprehensive and
far-reaching plan concerted attack
is being made on insecurity; some OF
our most urgent present needs are
being met and certain definite pro-
tections against future need are be-
ing established. Through its oppor-
tunities for cooperation, we can now
marshal all our forces-Federal
State and local-in a we'll organized
attack on some of the more serious
problems which every community in
the country has faced for year. The
Federal-State plans for public as
sistance, as well as for child welfare
and public health, simply represent
extensions of services for which
many States and communities had
already assumed an obligation.
"Since last October 43 States have
been participating in one or more of
these public assistance programs, and
in April it is estimated that over l.
100000 persons are receiving regu-
Federal, State, and local funds.
Forty-three States now have ap-
proved Unemployment Compensation
Laws; it is estimated that, in round
figures, approximately 1S,47S,O00
workers are employed in jobs cover
ed by these provisions.
"At present there are AZ approved
plans for aid to the needy aged, 20
for aid to the blind, and % for aid to
dependent children. According to
the April estimates, about 1888, 900
of the needy aged; $4,000 needy
blind people, and 33O,4OO dependent
children in 128,4OO families are now
receiving assistance under these 80
plans.
r.