Evening star., 1939-11-05
By Marquis ". Childs

With the aid Of the c. I. O., Bigelow
obtained 100000 signatures on petitions
putting two constitutional amendments
before the voters. One was the pension
proposal. The other would alter the
referendum provisions in the State con-
stitution so that only 100000 signatures
would be required to put an issue on the
ballot; these signatures could be OBJ
tanned in any single locality rather than,
as is now specified, from at least half
of the SO counties which must be repre-
sented by at least S per cent of the
registered voters.
For some time the Bigelow proposals
attracted little attention. Then the Ohio
Chamber of Commerce became alarmed
and began campaign of opposition.
w. B. Chandler, the State secretary is
said to have sent out letter pointing
out how contributions to the opposition
campaign could be made without vio-
lating the States very strict corrupt
practices act. Soon it was realized that
an opposition with a broader base would
be necessary If the amendments were
to be defeated.
Emergency Committee Formed.
In September an Ohio emergency
committee was formed which recruited
the State Grange. the Farm Bureau Fed
GRAFTON, the Parent-Teacher groups, the
American Legion. the Federation of Wom-
ems Clubs, the Bankers Association, the
Manufacturers Association, the Funeral
Directors Association and virtually
every other Statewide organization Of
businessmen and taxpayers. The sup
port of the county chairmen, both Re-
publican and Democratic, was enlisted.
In a great many counties Republican
and Democratic organizers were en-
ployed to insure house-to- house appeals.
Newspapers agreed to give advertising
space ON credit. Radio stations gave free
time, and where Federal regulations
seemed to prevent this, the time was
paid for and thereupon station owners
contributed an equal amount to the
campaign.
deluge of propaganda has poured
out of headquarters in Columbus, Gin
clnnati and Cleveland. Perhaps the
most effective single piece of propa-
ganda was the letter of State Tax Com
missioner William S. Evatt, who esti-
mated that the Bigelow pension plan
would cost the State 1904, 200 900 in 1910,
plus administrative costs, which would
bring it up to $310, ,00O, 900, or consider
ably more than the entire State budget.
Mr.. Evatt estimated there would be
795,0o0 persons in Ohio over 60 in 1910.
He estimated there would be los 900
persons ineligible for one reason or
another. The remaining $4,000 would
have outside income to the extent that
10 per cent would receive only SO q
month under the Bigelow proposal, 10
per cent would get $40, 10 per cent $50
and the remaining 10 per cent from $40
to $50 month. That is how he arrived
at his figure OF $310,000,0O
Mr.. Bigelow says this is grossly unfair.
His own figure is SEC, 900 900, but how he
arrives at it is not exactly clear. There
are many vague spots in his plan. For
example, Mr.. Bigelow says that old peo-
pie would not be compelled to live with
children able to support them, a re-
quirement now made by the Federal
Social Security Board. In other words
the test of their ability to live independ-
emily OF pension would be very broad
The amendment is loosely drawn to
cover "all citizens of the State of Ohio
OF the age of go years or over who are
retired from gainful occupation as wage
earners." Would 1t include retired farm
ers, merchants and professional men;
This is one of the questions the opposi.
ton has raised.
Taxpayers Warned Against Plan,
A large part Of the propaganda from
the Emergency Committee has beer
aimed at taxpayers in an effort to con.
vince small home and farm owners tna,
they will pay the burden. In industria
areas, 1t has been argued, 10 homes ar,
often built on one acre and 10 home.
at $1,000 each makes $4,000 Of valuation
apart from the land. Figures have beer
put out to show that there would b.
monthly tax increase of 1888 on .
$4,000 house which would, of course, b.
passed along as rent, sending the rem
from SIS month to 1888.
1.-THE per cent tax on land valuet
at $4,000 was never meant to includ.
improvements on land" Mr.. Bigelov
says. 1T would tax only the land IL
downtown metropolitan areas. And yo,
know who owns that land? It's tn,
same 81 per cent of the people who pa,
the Federal income tax.
"Why, this fights been revelation
to me. They're the ones that own thi
State And they control it. That's wha
this fights shown. It's Fascism, moth
ing more than Fascism."
State conventions Of both 9. !. o. AM
A. +. Of L. indorsed the Bisslow plan
and 6. I. q. unions worked to gathe
dgnat,ires 70 petitions. othsr than thi