Evening star., 1939-01-16
Social Security Message
President Asks Liberalization
Of Benefits Paid in Early Years

The text Of President Roosevelt's
special message on social security:
-Four years ago sent to the newly
convened Congress message trans
mitting q report of the Committee
on Economic Security. In that mes
sage I urged that Congress con-
slider the enactment into law Of the
program of protection for our peo-
pie outlined in that report. The
Congress acted upon that recon-
mendation and today we have the
Social Security Act in effect
throughout the length and breadth
Of our country.
This act has amply proved its es-
sential soundness.
lion needy old people, needy blind
persons and dependent children are
now receiving systematic and hu-
name assistance to the extent OF q
half billion dollars year.
Three and a half million unem-
ployed persons have received out
of-work benefits amounting to $400,-
600, 1000 during the last year.
42,500,000 Covered.
A Federal old age insurance sys-
tenn, the largest undertaking of its
kind ever attempted, has been Or
ganized and under it there have
been set up individual accounts COW
ering 42,5O0,00 persons, who may
be likened to the policy holders OF
private insurance company.
In addition there are the splendid
accomplishments in the field OF
public health, vocational rehabili-
tation, maternal and child welfare
and related services, made possible
by the Social Security Act.
We have a right to be proud OF
the progress we have made in the
short time the Social Security Act
has been in operation. However, we
would be derelict in our RESPONSE
bility If we did not take advantage
of the experience we have accumu-
lated to strengthen and extend its
provisions.
I submit for your consideration a
report of the Social Security Board
which, at my direction and in ac-
cordance with the congressional
mandate contained in the Social
Security Act itself, has been assem-
bling data and developing ways and
means of improving the operation
of the Social Security Act
Urges Greater Security.
particularly call attention to the
desirability of affording greater old
age security. The report suggests q
twofold approach which 1 believe
to be sound. One way is to begin
the payment of monthly old-age in
surance benefits sooner and to lib.
eralize the benefits to be paid in the
early years. The other way is te
make proportionately larger Fedora
grants in aid to those States with
limited fiscal capacities, so that
they may provide more adequate
assistance to those in need. This
result can and should be accom-
plished in such a way as to involve
little, if any, additional cost to the
Federal Government. Such q meth
cd embodies principle that may
well be applied to other Federal
grants in aid.
I also call attention to the desir-
ability of affording greater protec-
ton to dependent children. Here
again the report suggests a two-fold
approach which I believe to be
sound. One way is to extend our
Federal old-age insurance system so
as to provide regular monthly bene-
fits not only to the aged, but also
to the dependent children of work.
ers dying before reaching retirement
age. The other way is to hberalize
the Federal grants-in-aid to the