The Wrangell sentinel., 1939-05-05
PROPOSED CHANGES IN
SOCIAL SECURITY Act

A summary of the changes in the
Federal old-age insurance system
proposed by the Social Security
Board has been made public by
Hugh Wade, Director Of the Social
Security Boards field office at Ju-
neau. The Boards recommendations
were contained in a report recently
made to the President and to Con-
gress and now before the House
Ways and Means Committee. They
are based on studies the Board has
conducted for the past years nder
the authority conferred upon it by
the Social Security Act and at the
specific request of the President
Mr.. Wade summarized the Board S
suggestions with respect to changes
in old age insurance benefits as
follows:
Benefits
/. Monthly benefits should begin
in 1910 instead Of 1942
3 Monthly benefits in the early
years should be increased, The two
following proposals would tend to
have this effect: Ia Paying sup
Elementary benefits to aged de-
pendent wives of retired workers;
(b) Calculating benefits on the ba-
sis of average wages rather than,
as at present, on the basis of total
accumulated wages.
8. Survivors insurance benefits
might be provided for widows and
orphans as follows: Ca Monthly
benefits for aged widows and young
widows with dependent children:
Cb) monthly benefits covering the
period Immediately following the
husbands death for other widows
and (c) in addition, all widows of
persons who would have qualified
for old-age insurance, had they lived
to age So, might be entitled to de-
ferred monthly benefits beginning
at age IS.
COverage
1. Employees engaged in service
performed for nonprofit organiza-
tions could be included without ad-
ministrative difficulty.
2 The agricultural labor limita-
ton should Immediately be modi-
fled to make it clear that it applies
only to actual farm labor; ulti-i
mately 1t should be entirely elimi-i
mated.
8. The domestic service exception
should be eliminated, reasonable
time being allowed, however, before
the effective date.
4. National banks and other So
called instrumentalities of the Fed
eral Government should be included.
5. Service performed in the en-
ploy of the United States should bel
included. The present provisions re-
garding service for. State govern
ments and their instrumentalities
should be clarified so as to exclude
only those in the employ of a State
OF a political subdivision, or of an
fundamentally wholly owned by
the State, or one whose functions
raise constitutional barriers.
6. Benefit credits should be al
lowed for wages earned after age
IS, thus enabling many older work.
ers to qualify for monthly benefits,
z. The present exception of mar
thine employment should be re
drawn so as to exclude only foreign
crews on American vessels engaged
in foreign trade.
8. The employer-employee rela-
tionship should be defined so as to
make it clear that the system ap-
plies to persons employed as insu-
rance, real estate, and travelling
statesmen, and in similar occupa-
tions.
Financing
With respect to financing, Mr.
Wade said, the Board did not make
any detailed recommendations since
the Treasury Department has pri-II
mary responsibility in these matters.
He pointed out that the Board had,
however, stated it is essential-inI
the interest of both prospective
beneficiaries and general taxpayers
for any proposed method of fl
nancing to take into account at the
outset all probable future disburse-
ments.
BILL AUTHORIZES REFUNDTNG
m nDYNYRYAT YNInTDmENHTECc