The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-07-07
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The 1928 convention unanimously
adopted the recommendation of the
Council.
Started Militant Pension Campaign in
1929
Recurring to the Importance of pro-
lection for the INDECENT aged in it's
report to the 1929 convention the A.
F. of L. Executive Council recon-
mended that a model compulsory
old age pension law should be drafted
by the Federation and recommended
to State Federations of Labor as a
matter of first order of Importance"
and declared that 1--WE should then in
augurate an active campaign for the
enactment of such laws in every
State" After thorough discussion
the convention adopted the Councils
recommendation with practically no
opposition.
Hearing on Pensions Held by Congress
In 1880, the Congress of the United
States, at the request of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor, held an ex-
tensiye hearing on the question of old
age pensions for the first time in the
history of that body. Although ten
States and one Territory were listed
as having enacted old age pension
laws, the A. F. of L. Executive Coun-
Gil reported to the 1890 convention of
the Federation that "none of them is
of such practical character that the
American Federation of Labor can
unequivocally endorse them as model
laws"
Seventeen States Had Pension Laws
in 1881
BY 1881 the Executive Council in
formed the A. F. of l.. convention that
seventeen States had enacted old age
pension laws, but that practically alk
Of them required amendments to make
them more in accordance with the
principles Of justice for the aged ad-
vocated by the American Federation
of Labor.
In 1882 old age pension legislation
came before Congress in a bill intro
duced by Representative Connery,
chairman of the House Labor Commit
tee, granting aid to the States that
would enact old age pension laws. 1t
provided that the Government appro-
pirate $10,000,00O to the various States
to pay one-third of whatever sum was
paid to aged persons. A bill cover
ing this subject approved by the
American Federation of Labor was
also introduced in both Houses of
Congress.
In 1888 There We're Twenty-Five
Pension States
| In it's report to the 1888 convention
the Executive Council of the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor said that
through the aggressive campaign in
behalf of old age pension legislation
by State Federations of Labor and
City Central Bodies during the year
the number of States with old age Sc
curity laws had been increased to
twenty-five.
Federal Assistance Included in Social
Security Act
The Council said it was it's purpose
and intention "to utilize every means
at the command of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor and to continue it's
efforts to secure the enactment of old
age pension laws in the different
States
In 1884 President Roosevelt named
President Green and other representa-
tives of the American Federation of
Labor to serve in an advisory capacity
on the Presidents Committee on
Economic Security whose report the
President used as the basis for his
message to Congress early in 1885
recommending the enactment of the
Social Security Bill which included a
section pledging the Federal Govern
ment to match up to SIS a month old
age pensions in States where the
State pension law has been approved
by the Social Security Board.
From the time the Social Security
Bill was introduced until it was en-
acted into law and signed by the
President in August, 1885, the Amer
lean Federation of Labor represented
the united front of the labor move
ment in favor Of the measure, includ-
ing Federal grants for State old age
pensions.
And now in less than ten years
after the American Federation of La
bor inaugurated it's vigorous campaign
for State old age pensions for the in
digent aged, and in less than three
years after the provisions for Federal
assistance to State old age pensions
contained in the Social Security Act
became the law of the land, every
State in the United States has passed
the necessary legislation to give the
INDECENT aged monthly pensions to
protect them from want.
This significant achievement is GER
tainly one of which the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor with it's more than
three and one-half million members
may well be proud.