The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1939-12-21
Questions and Answers
On Townsend Plan

Vii AVW11SC1lU y A0x1
The following questions and an
swers are published upon request.
Q. Who will receive annui-
A. All citizens over sixty years
Of age who retire from gainful pur-
suits.
Q. VIII all people over sixty
be compelled to retire from
these pursuits?
A. No. There is nothing COM
pulsory about the Plan. Should
a person accept the annuity he
would be compelled to retire from
labor. If after he has received the
annuity he decides to enter private
business, he can do so by abandon
ing the annuity. The only requisite
is that he does not enter any pur-
suit which is gainful.
@. VIII those on the annuity
plan be compelled to prove their
need?
A. There will be no such in
QUESTIONS as are required under
the Social Security Act. The pur-
pose of the Plan Is to restore pros
perity and to do this by increasing
purchasing power.
@. Will those who have
sons and daughters who are
able to contribute to their sup
port receive the annuity?
A. OF course. The contribution
| uyhic o,,,. cansDr n;%;1aye x~oaIro -
this country is their spending the
amount received within the month
| it is received. We consider this
contribution necessary to preserve
our present system. We believe the
vast army of those now on pay
rolls as relief investigators should
return to more useful occupations,
and that they are entirely unnec-
essary.
@. How will the Townsend
Plan solve the problem of I'M
employment?
A. There are an estimated IL
million workers now unemployed
With the removal of eight million
senior citizens, these positions will
be open to younger people. BY
the increase in buying power, it is
believed there will be so great a
demand for workers in factories
and on farms, that unemployment
will become unknown. The increas-
ed demand for goods and services
automatically will provide workers
continued employment at increased
wages.
@. How does the Townsend
Plan differ from the Social Sc
curity policy Of the govern
ment?
A. It is the exact opposite, al
though the detectives are claimed
to be the same, The Social Sc
curity Plan is based upon the basis
of needs and wants. The Town
send Plan is based upon the philos-
ply of plenty for all and a constant
ly increased standard of living. The
Social Security plan is compulsory
The Townsend Plan is American
in it's voluntary enforcement.
@. Who will play for these
annuities?
A. The Townsend Plan provides
that it will be paid from a per
cent transactions tax, distributed
pro rata among it's recipients unit
the limit of 5000 a month is reached
With the great increase in bust
ness, it is believed that, in a shor
time, this tax will not only be able
to pay the full amount Of the an
nuities but also retire the nationa
debt.
@. Why is the Townsend
Plan better than any other sug-
gestion?
A. The Townsend Plan provides
that the money must be spen
within the month it is received
The taxes levied become a con
stantly revolving fund for this pur
pose. There viii De no incentive
to hoard or save funds, but every
incentive to spend them. The bill
before Congress provides safe
guards against their being distri
buted among sons and daughter
who might be tempted to quit work
ing. For the senior citizen who
has voluntarily retired from gain
full occupations, all temptation will
be removed.
@. Why is the Townsend
Plan an economic necessity?
| A. The machine age has solved
the problems of production. 1t has
distribution. There are now the
estimated twelve millions out OF