Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-02-15

this point all observers, whether die
hard reactionaries, rabid radicals or
middle-of-the-road liberals, are
agreed. 1t is in their solution that
they differ. DR.. Francis E. Town
send frankly believes in the Amer
lean system of free economy gov
erned basically by the natural law
of supply and demand. He frankly
sought an answer to the nations prob
lens within the framework of capt.
talism. His solution is embodied in
the Townsend Plan for recovery.
Conceived five years ago in the
state of California the Townsend
plan quickly caught the imagination
of millions of people, some swore by
it, some ridiculed it, but all who gave
| it thought were affected by it. It
swept across the country, was &C
copied by the farm belt in the middle
west and by the industrial east. In
vain effort to head it off President
Roosevelt forced through Congress
the inadequate Social Security act.
The Townsend plan was not headed
off. In fact at each succeeding Con-
gress it has come closer to enactment.
1t has been introduced in Congress
several times but always died in
committee, but today near the top
of the agenda of the Seventy-sixth
Congress it bears Number H. R. g.
It's supporters are convinced it will
not this time die in committee
Whether accepted or not, the Town.
send plan is worthy the serious con-
sideration of every true-blooded
American. It is presented herewith:
The Townsend plan would do these
things;
/. Retire all citizens over so years
who care to participate, from gainful
employment.
2. Levy a federal tax of percent
collectible monthly on all monetary
| transactions.
8. Prorate this tax revenue among
the elderly retired people with the
stipulation it be spent within 80 days
of receipt, this in turn would increase
business, create new jobs, develop
prosperity, extend civil service, re-
tirement of annuity and put more
money in circulation.
Put the buying power in peoples
hands where it belongs and then pros
perity will be on its way and better
days will come.
For every criticism of the present
system, there is corrective proposal,
and the proposals are numerous and
varied. Perhaps the oldest and most
famous of them all is the Townsend
Recovery plan which would employ
transaction tax to finance the old
age pensions running as high as 5000
a month. Although all economists
say that plan is unavoidable, at the
same time it maintains surprising
support of the people. AS result the
whole problem of the American aged
has grown befogged and complicated,
and as result, too, the Federal gov
eminent is feeling intense political
pressure to head off the march of the
crack-pots by boosting all old age
benefit rates. Although the present
system is admittedly inadequate, the
current Federal attitude is to make
haste slowly because sudden drastic
changes cannot be effected without
seriously endangering the whole ma
tional economy. No one can now say
just what revision will eventually be
made, but it is beyond all doubt that
the revisions will come.
The old men and old women of
America are yearly becoming more
and more multitudinous and their de-
mand will unquestionably be pressed
with increasing persistence Today
there are 81a million people of IS
years and older and in 40 years from
now their numbers are estimated to
reach % million.
This continuous growth is pro-
foundry historic more than that it con-
tains political, social and economic
implications of first importance For
better or worse the House" of the
United States is filling up with good
signs. So let us all start the year
1910 with the good spirit and a
brighter outlook for the masses of
people. With the election just ahead,
let us not have misunderstanding
among ourselves, as that creates hard
feeling, and in the long run does not
work out so good for the welfare
of the general public
Let us forget the Communistic idea
as we are living in a democracy of
free peoples, and let's get behind the
real thing in American principles and
for good cause of our American
people-the Townsend Recovery plan.
l have feeling and am convinced
that if we can put the Townsend
plan over this fall, that better times
will follow. Let us be with both feet
on the ground and clear minds in
the American sense of the word and
study this Townsend Recovery plan
so we are prepared this fall
Election is coming and some of
these officials will want to be elected
to office. We then can demand their
support and vote for the Townsend
Recovery plan and if we don't do it,
somebody else will. So let us all
join and help to work for it.