The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-02-01

make more people eligible for old
age insurance -- that's what you
pay for in salary deductions each
week-and wants to change the
old age benefit plan 80 that more
federal money can go TO states
unable to maintain pensions at a
decent level.
ON THE
OTHER HAND
At the opposite extreme is a
measure called the general well
fare act, introduced in the senate
by Senator Claude Pepper and in
the house of representatives by Joe
Hendricks, both of Florida. 1t is
the Townsend plan without the
+ S200-a-month floor. II calls for n
straight two per cent transactions
+ tax and flat monthly payments to
everyone over so. with the provi-
sion that the person getting the
money must give up his job and
spend all his money as fast as he
gets it-viz. monthly
It's sponsors figure that it would
provide Mt least $50 a month to
start and probably more. Eventu-
ally, they say, it would furnish the
full 5000
Then there is Senator Sheridan
Downey of California, who rode
into office with Townsendite back
ing, and who says that while he
did not initiate or advocate the
famous California pension plan, he
thinks the country has got to raise
its purchasing power through some
system of old age annuities.
Our farms and industries are
operating at half capacity he
says. I'VE must double our pur-
chasing power, and to do 1t VIC
must raise wages and get decent
retirement annuties into the hands
of our senior citizens. Those an
nuities must be made a matter of
right. not charity. We must look
on the old people as older partners
who have retired from q business
which not only can support them
but which vitality needs their con-
Stunning power
Within few weeks Senator
Downey will declare himself from
the senate floor. He likes the
general welfare act but doesn't
think 1t goes far enough, and as
serts that the country must pay
pensions of at least 500 month.
WANTS PRESENT
LAW AMENDED
Senator Edward c Johnson of
! Colorado is out to amend the eX-
age limit for old age assistance
payments from 65 to go, and would
/ hike the federal governments pay
ment TO the states from the pres
ent SIS to S22 so. which would
create a S45 pension in all states
which matched the federal govern
ments payments. All of this, just
incidentally, would bring the fed
eral law into conformity with the
Colorado state constitution. whose
S45-a-month pension provision was
recently upheld by Colorado voters
in referendum.
Finally. there is Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge Jr. Of Massachusetts.
Senator Lodge last year exam
lined the huge revolving fund
which is set up under the old age
benefits section of the social Sc
curity act. and figured that II was
so big that the payments could
be increased without hurting any
thing. So he brought in an amend
ment which would have made a
straight boost OF SS per cent in the
benefit payments,
His idea caught on, and he came
within few votes in getting II
through the senate. He is still for
IL. and he will be heard from before
the session ends.
Perhaps Senators Lodge and
Downey are two potent reasons
for the administration current
effort TO hberaliZe the social Sc
curity act But whatever the de-
eisive factor. il seems extremely
likely that when the session ends
one more step will have been taken