Evening star., 1938-10-20
The Political Mill
Liberalized Pension Move Becomes Forceful Factor
in State Political Campaigns.

ites-the national organization Of old
age pensioners and planners - have
taken the side Of the Republican can
didates. This is not illogical from
the point Of view Of the old-age pen
sion planners. They have seen the
Democratic Congress repeatedly de-
cline to let their pension bill come up
for consideration in the House or
Senate in Washington. They have
seen the Roosevelt administration
frown on the plan As silly and imprac-
tical. Whether 1t Is logical or not
that the g. o. p. should take up with
the Townsend pension Is decidedly
another thing. After the diatrtbes of
the Republicans against Government
spending and New Deal experiments,
1t Is almost breath-taking to find
Republicans from staid New England
accepting with gratitude the support
OF the Townsendites.s But accept they
do, and with good grace.
The Democrats, alive to the dangers
Of concerted Townsend opposition 1t
= time many States and congressional
districts seem not too safe for the
New Deal, have been doing their best
to offset this swing Of the oldsters to
the G. o. p.
From Washington and Michigan has
come the report that the Roosevelt
Administration b considering more lib
eral pensions for the aged.
Representative John ]. Ddnsell of
Michigan, member Of the House Ways
and Means Committee. Is to introduce
= bill at the next session which would
increase the monthly old-age pension
to $40 q month-instead Of the $50
promised now II the States Join fully
with the Government in supplying this
aid to the aged-and would also reduce
the age for pensions from IS to so.
Here is . concession, indeed. How
much effect the Administrators sug-
gested liberalization OF the Social
Security Act will have remains to be
seen. The Townsendites are q fanat-
ical group and they vote for their
indorsed candidates, whatever their
own political Affiliations have been.
Variety Of Forms.
The old-age pension issue, while in
most Of the States outside of CALI
fornia follows the Townsend plan, has
assumed other forms In q number Of
places.
Take. for example, Minnesota. The
Democratic candidate for Governor,
Thomas Gallagher. has put out a plan
for a $50 . month pension for all
persons in the State so years of age or
over. Fifty-six clubs have been
organized around the State by GAL
lAgher and his supporters. His op-
ponents. Republican and Farmer-LAbor
alike, have also declared for more
liberal old-age pensions, hoping for
Endorsement Of the Townsenditea,
In North Dakota, Gov. william
LANCER, independent candidate for the
Senate against Senator Nye, has q
$40 . month old-age pension plan,
which he is seeking to have incorpo-
rated In the States basic law In 4 ref
erendum and initiative election on No
vember 3. The Townsendites on the
other hand have indorsed Nye.
Disrupted Wisconsin G. o. p.
The old-age pension plan Of the
Townsendites famed Is an issue in
Wisconsin not long ago when John B.
Chapple. Independent candidate for
the Senate, broke with his party, the
g. o. p, over the question of pensions.
The Townsendites had backed Chapple
Is their candidate In the Republican
senatorial primary when Chapple ran
second to Alexander Wiley. Chapple,
not satisfied with the Republican plat
form on the old-ase matter, declared
himself An independent candidate,
which considerably disrupted Republic