The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-06-17
A Little Country Tries Big Plan
Philadelphia Record)

srnoose the U. S. Federal Government should put forward social security program to cost ST 800 the first year and rise to a year thereafter.
 Tn 24 hours every reacHonary spokesman in the country would be too hoarse with yelling to talk above whisper. NFa
 Yet little New Zealand with infinitely less we'll developed resources than ours is preparing to in augurate a program of that magnitude reduced to terms of New Zealands 100000 population.
 The Labor Administration in New Zealand, which has held office since 1885 wants national guaran- tee that:
 | Every man willing and able to work will have a job in good times or bad.
 9 Every citizen will have medical and hos pita treatment if he needs it, whether he afford it or not
 B. When tEe span of his working years ends every employed person will have an od-age pension of S75O a week If he has saved enough to allow him an income of up to $5 week he can have that, too, and get the pension.
 This program is the last and most ambitious of an intensive series of experiments begun by the present administration in New Zealand. So far, most of the others have proved successful in spite of the same sort Of opposition that has met New Deal legislation here
 The parallel includes a New Zealand Court of Appeals decision that clerks in Industrial establish ments were not industrial workers and were thus to be extempted from 40-hour work-week law. This decision is the only known runner-up to our own
 
 markets agriculture is purely local industry
 The New Dealish Government of New Zealand began with banking legislation, including Govern ment control central banking. It followed that with agricultural price legislation similar in intent ours and with public works to fight unemployment hours legislation the encouragement of unonization and other measures to snatch the dominion out of the doldrumS into which successive conservative ad- ministrations had led it.
 Tooay even unfriendly critics admit that the ad- minStration popular with the majority of New and that according to superficial indica tions at least the country is definite upgrade.
 Whether New Zealand swing the proposed social security plan must be considered probemaca by the most optimistic. The ultimate outlay for this purpose alone is per capita than the present total outlay of the United States Government incud- ing relief and national defense expenditures
 Even the first years social security expense would be almost much per capita the whole U. S Federal income at present
 But the New zealanders are apparently convinced as the Swedes are, that the security problems of modern society be tackled by penny -pinching nouncing that every unemployed man would be put to work New Zealand may in the long run discover that the assets that from social stability and the avoidance of disorder and paupersm will counter balance even the enormous expenses of the proposed program.
 In comparison to resources we dare not even dream of program extensive New zeaand's. The statesmen down under" may be rash They may be biting off more than they chew.
 But one must give them credit for the courage to say There's enough for all Let's to it that nobody is in want That everyone has job doctor and secure old age7