The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-09-08

lloSIdiiLeu SOCldl ScCuIlIy program aC-
cording to recent statements by Presi-
dent Roosevelt and by all three mem
bers of the Social Security Board
Chairman Arthur j. Altmeyer, Miss
Mary w. Dewson, and Mr.. George f..
Bigge-should bring benefits to more
people and should also simplify the
methods of administering the law.
The President said:
"What we are doing is good. But
it is not good enough. To be truly
national a social security program
must include all those who need its
protection. Today many of our citi-
zens are still excluded from old-age
insurance and unemployment compen-
sation because of the nature of their
employment. This must be set Alright;
and it will be.
Some time ago | directed the So
cial Security Board to give attention
to the development of a plan for lib
eralizing and extending the old-age in
surance system to provide benefits for
wives, widows, and orphans. More re-
Gently, a National Health Conference
was held at my suggestion to consider
ways and means of extending to the
people of this country more adequate
health and medical services AMI also
to afford the people of this country
some protection against the economic
losses arising out of ill health.
81 am hopeful that on the basis of
studies and Investigations now under
ho
extend the law. One word of warn
ing, however. In our efforts to pro-
vide security for all of the American
people, let us not allow ourselves to be
mlsled by those who advocate short
cuts to Utopia or fantastic financial
schemes"
Chairman Altmeyer, in his state
ment to the press on the anniversary
occasion, said:
Certain new lines of development
are beginning to emerge, particularly
in the field of old-age insurance. These
lie in the direction of extending COW
erage to agricultural labor, domestic
service, and other occupations not yet
included. Other possibilities to which
the President has recently called at
tention are increasing the size of bene-
fits for those retiring in the early
years, and extending benefits to aged
wives and widows of covered workers
and to the young children of those
who die before the age of IS. Finally,
the question of health protection is
beginning to appear on the horizon we
may one day set up safeguards against
the hazard of illness, paralleling our
present lines of defense against the
hazards of want during unemployment
and of destitute old age The So
cial Security Board is charged by the
law with the duty of making studies
and recommendations for legislation to
improve and extend the scope of So
cial legislation. Regarding this as
one of its most important responsible
ties, the Board is studying these ques-
tions, as well as others relative to i'm
mediate problems of administration -
Miss Dewson pointed to the amend
ments to the Social Security Act
which were laid before Congress at its
last session. She said:
vi Cllc dlISilIllllSlllS tllIS Idl
actually drafted, those of most gen
eral interest, both in themselves and
as evidence of trend, are those
amendments which extend coverage of
the .old-age insurance program. The
age limitation that now prevents a
worker from continuing to build up
benefit credits after reaching the age
# IL h, Il
other workers employed on American
vessels, and employees Of certain bank
ing institutions at present excluded
would be brought into the old-age pro-
gram.
"Under the proposed amendment
removing the 65-year age limitation,
wage earners now 81 or over would nc
longer be prevented from qualifying
for monthly benefits.
'This proposal would also simplify
taXpaying procedures and the book
keeping required of both employers
and the Government, because all
workers in included occupations would
be covered alike, regardless of age.
at would also do away with the
necessity Tor proving the age OF the
employee until he was ready to retire,
whether at age 65 or later"
Mr.. Bigge said:
"There is the major problem of pro-
viding some protection comparable to
unemployment benefits for those who
cannot qualify under this program;
those who haven't had enough work,
those who have exhausted their bene-
fits, and the like. The Board is Civ
ing attention to this and to several
problems relating to unemployment
Insurance with which the States sys-
ms cannot, or do not, deal. There
are some workers who, while they
work good portion Of the year, move
about so much from one State to an
other that they do not qualify for
benefits in any State. The Board is
trying to find some reasonable way to
make special provisions for them.
"The States have set up an inter-
state conference to discuss broad
questions of policy. This conference
l.