Evening star., 1939-02-17


House Ways and Means Com
mtttee recently began hearings
on recommendations of Social
Security Administration Council
for expansion OF Social Security
Act. In this connection, commit
tee agreed to giue thorough air.
ing to Ddrious pension and 1uel-
fare plans proposed.
BY the Associated Press.
DR.. Francis E. Townsend today
told members OF the House WAYS
and Means Committee they didn't
know what they were talking about
II they considered a $2OO-a-month
ceiling for old-age pensions "ab-
surdly high"
The tall, gaunt physician, sponsor
OF the pension program which bears
his name, shook long finger at the
committee.
mo family can live on 500 a
month and rear and educate its
children properly" he said. "If we
can't establish a standard OF living
higher than $40, certainly we can't
maintain our type of government
much longer"
DR.. Townsend, whose last ap-
pearance before congressional
committee led to an unserved Jail
sentence. was testifying at hearings
on amendments to the Social Sc
curity Act and on proposed sub
stitute pension programs.
Called Height of Absurdity.
To the committee which drafted
the original Social Security Act, DR..
Townsend described that law as
1.-The height of absurdity of any bill
ever passed by Congress"
He asserted 5000 month was only
enough to provide a decent stand
ard of living now.
Il believe that every five years.
once we take the shackles off techni-
cal knowledge and genius" the
doctor asserted, we shall have to
resurvey and raise the standard
The 5000 a month won't stay there
long Well go to $500
And as we establish this standard
of living, labor will demand it and
get it."
The Townsend plan contemplates
paying benefits up to 5000 monthly
from proceeds of per cent trans
actions tax
DR.. Townsend said his pension
program would provide a way for
changing the attitudes Of millions
of people He said a change was
necessary because young men were
making statements that it might be
better to have one man make the
laws of the country rather than
have lot of such individuals sitting
down in Congress to legislate.
Expressions Of Contempt.
Il travel around the country a
great deal" the witness said. II
wish you could hear the expressions
Of contempt and hatred l hear for
this Government. You can't appeal
to the better feelings of peoples
whose bellies are empty. They
won't listen to you"
Dr.. Townsend said he believed
NEW policy of government must be
established which will divert the
stream Of profits back to where it
originates That, he said, is what
the Townsend movement proposes
to do. Unless the old people are
converted into an indirect produc-
ing class, he said, they will be
burden which we've got to inev-
ltably carry on our backs"
He headed long list of witnesses
that included three Senators-Pep-
per, Democrat, Of Florida; Andrews,
Democrat, of Florida, and Nye, Re-
publican, of North Dakota.
For week the committee. con-
sidering amendments to the Social
Security Act and all substitute pen
sion plans, has been listening to
advocates of the Townsend program.
Favor No Cross Examination.
Some members said they thought
DR.. Townsend should be allowed to
testify without croSs-examination
But others said they doubted the
committee would pass up a chance
to 60 into political activities of the
TownSendites and some of the finan-
cial ramifications of their move
ment.
DIR. Townsend asked a House COM
mitta once before to approve his
pension plan. That was when the
original social security bill was in
the formative stages.
Subsequently the House named a
special committee to investigate all
pension schemes with emphasis
on the Townsend plan. DR.. Town
send walked out on the committee
in 1896 and later was cited for
contempt of the House. He was
convicted in District Court and SEN
fenced to 30 days in Jail. President
Roosevelt pardoned him the day
he was to start serving the SEN
tence.
Dissension split the Townsend
forces in the last Congress, and one
group of supporters broke away to
unite behind rival pension plan
incorporated in the so-called gen.
eral welfare bill. 1t proposes mini
mum pensions of $50 a month for
persons over go and maximum ben
ef1ts of $50.
Supporters of the general welfare
program have used the Ways and
Means Committee hearings to ac-
cuSe the TOWnSenditeS of dellldinp