The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-11-09
Old Age Pensions To Begin
January |. 1910: Some
Still Barred
AMOUNTS AMPLE
Generous Provisions Made
for Workers Wives. Wild
ows and Children
By President James NJ. Duffy, First
Vice President +. l.. Wheatley and
John O'Malley.

| Vice President +. l.. Wheatley and
John O'MalIey.
The enlarged benefits for millions
of working men and women and their
dependents provided in amendments
to the Social Security Act passed by
! Congress last August were outlined
by Arthur J. Altmeyer, Chairman of
the Social Security Board, in an III
structive address before the recent
annual convention Of the American
Federation of Labor in Cincinnati,
Ohio. This article contains the sec
tion of Mr. Altmeyer's address cover
ing the old age insurance and the sur
vivors insurance provisions Of the
amended law
"This is the fourth time in as many
years that / have had the high priv
ilege Of addressing your annual con-
vention, and | am beginning to feel
like bad penny that returns at in
tervals. ! hope | am not bad penny,
however. In fact, think | am bring
ing news that is of extreme import
ance to you and your members, news
that means not only pennies but doll
ars of security.
at might seem to some that after
appearing on your program for three
years there was little left to be said
on the subject Of Social Security.
However, as you well know, it is a
very big subject and, as your Presi-
dent has just said, the last Congress
has passed amendments of transcen-
dent Importance, amendments that
| have completely revolutionized the old
| age insurance system and have turned
t into an old age and survivors in
surance system. | am going to men,
ton that particularly and in some de-
tail little later.
There are other important changes,
too, that | want to call to your at
tention. Of course, these changes that
occur from year to year are changes
that are inevitable as we learn more
about problems Of insecurity and as
We learn more how to meet these
problems. In other words, social Sc
curity is longtime and ever-evolving
program. Social security must always
De goal and never an achievement.
And so hope you will feel as we feel
N the Social Security Board, that
here has been real progress in the
past year and that we may look for
ward to increasing progress.
A. F. of L. Representatives Served
On Advisory Council
"On August 10th last these two
amendments became effective. They
we're passed Some did not become
effective until January 1st. These
amendments build upon the programs
established in the Act of 1885. There
we have a good foundation and it
was built with labor's help. But no.
body has felt we should leave the job
as soon as we had laid the foundation.
In the law itself was a clause requir-
ing the Social Security Board to study
the workings of the Act and recon-
mend necessary changes. We obeyed
that instruction and found many
changes to recommend.
1--WE have also had the benefit of
the findings of an Advisory Council
On Social Security, which was created
by Congress. This was a represen-
tative body Of twenty-five members.
1t included representatives Of organ
lied labor, of industry, and the gen.
aral public. Mr.. Matthew Vol, Mr..
G. NJ. Bugniazet and Mr. John P.
Frey, represented the American Fed
Grafton of Labor on that Council
THAT demonstrates, as | see it, the
great efficiency of collaboration and
cooperation with representative ad-
visory committees, such as this Ad
visory Council We still have long
way to go and l am hopeful that we
may continue in the development of
amendments to the Social Security
Act and have the close cooperation Of
labor ,as we have had in the past.
"Most of the changes affect the
federal old age insurance system, but
there were changes also in the prev'
sions for unemployment insur'ess
for needy old people, the needy b
and for dependent children. LikeWeo
more liberal provision than be1
was made for the re-training of CO.
abled workers, for child welfare, ar.
for the public health.
Old Age and Survivors Insurance
''Let me outline the most importan.
changes, beginning with those in the
federal old-age insurance provisions.
What we all want to do with our
old-age insurance system is to extend
it to more people and pay more ade-
quate benefits. We want social Sc
curity for all workers, whatever their
Continued on Page Two)