Evening star., 1939-08-11
Roosevelt
Continued From First Page)


tween wage loss sustained and bene-
fits received This is a most i'm
portant distinguishing characteris-
tic of social insurance as con-
trasted with any system of fiat pen
Sions.
Payment of old-age benefits will
begin on January /, 1910. instead
of January /, 1912. Increase in
payroll taxes scheduled to take
place in January, 1910, is deferred.
Benefit payments in the early years
are substantially increased.
l am glad that the insurance
benefits have been extended to
cover workers in some occupations
that have previously not been
covered. However, workers in other
occupations have been excluded. In
my opinion, it is imperative that
these insurance benefits be extended
to workers in all occupations.
The Federal-State system of pro-
vlding assistance to the needy aged,
the needy blind, and dependent
children, has also been strengthened
by increasing the Federal aid. I am
particularly gratified that the Fed
eral matching ratio to States for
aid to dependent children has been
increased from one-third to one
half of the aid granted. l am also
happy that greater Federal contri-
buttons will be made for public
health, maternal and child welfare,
crippled children, and vocational
rehabilitation. These changes will
make still more effective the Fed
eral State cooperative relationship
upon which the Social Security act
is based and which constitutes its
great strength. 1t is important to
note in this connection that the
Increased assistance the States will
now be able to give will continue
to be furnished on the basis of
individual need, thus affording the
greatest degree of protection within
reasonable financial bounds.
Merit System.
AS regards administration, prob
ably the most important change
that has been made is to require
that State agencies administering
any part of the Social Security act
coming within the jurisdiction of
the Social Security Board and the
Chlldren's Bureau shall set up a
merit system for their employees.
An essential element of any merit
system is that employees shall be
selected on a non-political basis
and shall function on a non-politi-
cal basis.
In 1884 I appointed a committee
called the Committee on Economic
Security made up of Government
officials to study the whole problem
OF economic and social security and
to develop a legislative program for
the same. The present law is the
result of its deliberation. That COM
mittee is still in existence and has
considered and recommended the
present amendments. In order to
give reality and coordination to
the study of any further develop
ments that appear necessary I am
asking the committee to continue its
life and to make active study of
various proposals which may be
made for amendments or develop
ments to the Social Security Act.
The present members of the COM
mittee are:
Frances Perkins, Secretary of La
bor, chairman.
Henry Morgenthau, jr., Secretary
of the Treasury.
Frank Murphy, Attorney General
Henry A. Wallace, Secretary of
Agriculture.
Harry L. Hopkins, Secretary of
Commerce.
1 am adding to the committee at
this time Arthur j. Altmeyer, chair
man of the Social Security Board.
The President vetoed bills yes
terday and signed 27. Among those
he approved was a $3.50 100000 de-
f1ciency appropriation
Two other bills received particular
attention. One, which he lost no
time in signing, will end next Feb
ruary the right of civilian employees
of the Government to file claims for
extra compensation for the years
1917 to 1924.
The second, which he vetoed with
equal alacrity, would have extend
ed for five years from next January
2 the time in which World War
veterans and their dependents could
have submitted claims for adjusted
compensation benefits.