Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-12-08


handed out 4,4l3, 900.
Pensioners insist the nation can
stand a large scale retirement pro-
gram, but realists in the admins
tration doubt that we can afford it.
They regard the 1910 payments as
modest start and refuse to make
any more concessions to hold the
pension vote next year. Just few
weeks ago Security Administrator
Paul McNutt emerged from White
House conference to tell reporters
it would be unwise to predict any
broad revisions in the present sys-
tenn. There has been talk of COM
batting the war-inspired merchant
marine depression via social securi-
ty, and of expanding the present
plan to include self-employed per-
sons, but the New Deal promises
it will sponsor no increase in pay
ments.
Pensions Go to Congress.
It's not expected that 1910 cleo
tons will make congress any more
pension-minded than it was last
June when the house voted down
the Townsend plan 302 to 81. That
plan would give pension of 5000 a
month to all persons over 60 who
retire from work, the money to
come from 2 per cent tax on all
transactions.
Townsendites are fighting furious
ly with another group which wants
the same general idea wrapped up
in another package. This is the
General Welfare federation, whose
bill is now pending in the house.
It would amend the social security
act to give $50 to $50 a month to
all persons over go, the cost to be
paid by gross income tax of per
cent. Deductions would be permit
ted from gross income of the cost
of materials used in the products of
industry, and of the first $50 per
month, or $720 per year, of gross
income received.
Seek Early Vote.
The potency of this plan is shown
by the fact that 100 house men,
bers have signed a petition to dis
charge the house ways and means
now rests, and bring it to the floor.
The old age retirement plan which
goes in effect January l is figured
this way.
Beneficiaries will receive basic
amount equal to 40 per cent of the
first $50 of the average monthly
wage plus 10 per cent of the next
5000 of average monthly wages. To
this is added per cent of the basic
amount for each year in which the
individual earns at least 5000 in
covered employment.
Thus a worker whose average
monthly income was $500 would re-
ceive monthly benefits of S25.75. II
married, he would receive an add.
tional $12.88 for his wife, if over
IS, and $l2.88 for each dependent
child. On the same basis a wild
ow's benefits would amount to Sl9.31
per month; a widow with one de-
pendent child would get $32.l9, and
widow with two dependent chill
dren, S45.06. No benefit may be
less than $40 month, and the high
est will be S85.
Lie luIiuS CUTIE lTOIIl a social Sc
curity tax of per cent each as
sessed against employers and en-
ployees, covering all wages up to
an annual total of $1,000.
Taxpayers Will Decide.
Rational and unbiased observers
of the pension movement can see
dangers on both sides. A citizen
who's worked hard all his life and
now faces INDECENT old age is apt to
be bit too demanding on his gov.
eminent. And youngsters, who fall
heir to their elders jobs and must
foot the pension bill, aren't apt to
be very sympathetic about large
pensions. At the same time, how.
ever, youth is becoming more PEN
sion-conscious.
It won't be necessary to worry
about alleged "crackpot" retire
ment schemes. On some not-too-
distant day one of them may be
legislated into being. but not for
long. Eventually the electorate win
decide how big tax load it can
carry.