Evening star., 1943-07-06
Beyeridge Says U.S..
Rich Enough 10 Keep
Citizens From Want

Great Britain can afford to avoid
want for every one and lit IS
obvious that in country as rich as
the United States 1t is possible to
keep every one free from want"
Sir William Beveridge, elderly
British economist, told an audience
of 1000 last night in the open-air
theater near the Washington Mon
ument.
Taking the income Of the work.
ing classes only in 1885," the white
haired speaker said, referring to
Britain, there was ample TO avoid
want for every one"
Sir William quite evidently enjoyed
his Washington appearance on as
Dalmy q midsummer night as vii
liagers have ever known on the
Kentish downs. with the Navy Band
playing the national anthem at the
opening of the meeting.
He was eager to answer questions
from the audience and would have
continued to do so late into the
night had not Representative Bald
win of New York, the chairman,
called an end to the meeting
Prominent in front Of the audience
were Mrs. Clifford Pinchot, Mrs. j.
Borden Hartman and Mrs. Robert
Low Bacon.
Says Britons Support Plan.
Put penny tax on pint of beer
and sixpence on a pound of income
to abolish want" said Sir William.
There isn't a rational person in
Britain who doesn't think it worth
the price. We can do it and obviously
you can do it."
One Of the young men in the
audience asked Sir William how he
justified" not paying benefits i'm
mediately to the aged.
Because it is insurance and not
charity" the speaker explained.
There are lots of elderly people in
Britain who are old, yet not in
want They would not wish to be
paid benefits they had not contrib
uted to. Many of US were born too
young for this plan," he added, and
laughed along with the audience.
Senator Burton of Ohio, Repre-
sentatives Gale of Minnesota and
Dingell of Michigan and Social Sc
curity Chairman Arthur Altmeyer
were on the platform with him. All
spoke In approval Of more social
security In this country.
A woman with a foreign accent
asked the speaker how, If 4 shillings
week was held to be enough to
keep body and soul together" he
could justify the "$1O,oO0,000 paid
the King and Queen"
Mr.. Baldwin ruled the question
out.
Explains Plan.
Sir William in the beginning of
his talk called the Beveridge report
a rather dull and lengthy report"
and offered to save his audience
the trouble of reading it by explain
Ing 1t IN three sentences.
First" he said, 1T proposes a
comprehensive scheme of social in
surance to make certain that all
citizens and their dependents have
income sufficient for subsistence
when earnings are interrupted by
any cause, whether sickness, acci-
dent, unemployment or old age, or
are brought about by the death of
the breadWinner.
Second, it proposes a compre-
hensive health service to make Ger
tain that whatever medical treat
ment of any kind, general or spe-
cial, at home or in the hospital, is
needed by any citizen, is available
for him and all his dependents
without charge at the time Of
treatment.
Third, it proposes a system Of
childrens allowances paid both
when the responsible parent is
earning and when he is not earn
ing, in order to make certain that
no child need lack the physical
means of life"
He added that mo system against
unemployment is satisfactory If
there is mass unemployment or ex-
tended unemployment" Govern
ments, he said, will have to take
other steps to abolish these eco
nomic blights.
Living Standards Lifted.
Referring to the pre-war incomes
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