The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1943-08-19
Social Security
Board 5 Years Old

The eighth anniversary of the So
cial Security Board August IA,
found its local office at Hagerstown
too busy to pause for celebration,
E. Clyde Thomas, manager, said to-
day.
The local office is carrying a
heavier load than ever before due to
issuing of social security account
cards to new employees streaming
into war industry and other essen
tial work, besides accepting and in
vestigating claims for old age and
survivors insurance benefits, and
providing information about their
social insurance rights to workers
or their survivors.
In spirit, nevertheless, Mr.. Thorn
as and his staff join the other Social
Security Board offices to note that
eight years have passed since Presi
dent Roosevelt signed the Social Sc
curity Act on August IA, 1885, after
its approval by an overwhelming
nonpartisan vote Because of its en-
actment of this law, President
Roosevelt dubbed that Congress
historic for all time"
The Act created Federal old-age
benefit system, a State-Federal sys-
tenn of unemployment insurance,
and State-Federal program for as
sisting the needy aged, the needy
blind, and dependent children. In
1889 the old-age benefit system was
changed by Congress to Old-Age
and Survivors Insurance providing
additional benefits to the families of
insured workers.
Hagerstown's local office opened
on April 81, 1887, to serve workers
and employers in this area on old
age and survivors insurance mat
tiers. During the past six years more
than $4,000 social security account
numbers have been issued by this
Office. There are at present over
300 men, women, and children re-
siding in the area serviced by the
Hagerstown Office drawing monthly
social security insurance benefits
which exceed $150,000 annually.
Never in the history of any peo-
pie has there been such gigantic or
ganized effort to eliminate want due
to old-age or death, Manager Thorn
as said. Nearly 100000 persons for
the country as whole are already
receiving monthly benefits, he said,
including $4,000 retired workers;
"a, 400 wives of retired workers;
102,400 widows, 2O1,9O0 young chill
dren, and $500 aged parents of de-
ceased workers. More than $12,-
$4,000 went out in monthly pay
ments in June of this year. Monthly
payments to families may be as high
as $85, and cannot be less than $40.
The size depends on the earnings of
the insured work n from jobs COW
cred by the system.
These figures hardly suggest
what the social security payments
mean to American people in added
security, contentment and we'll
being" Mr.. Thomas said.
Behind these statistics are stories
of happier old people, healthier chill
dren, and less worried mothers.
and my staff are proud to serve our
community in this great social in
surance program.
"Yet our social security insur-
ance system is far from complete, -
Mr.. Thomas added. He explained
that some 20 million workers are
unprotected by the system-farm
and domestic workers, public en-
ployees, those who work for them
selves on farms or in small bust
nesses, and employees of education
al, charitable, and other nonprofit
institutions. In addition, the Act
makes no provision for assuring
some income to people forced to stop
working because of sickness or dis
ability.
In its Seventh Annual Report to
Congress the Social Security Board
recommended that the old-age and
survivors insurance system be ex-
tended to cover all persons who
work for living, including the
self-employed. The Board also
proposed social insurance protection
against the hazards of sickness and
disability and the costs of hospital
care. Mr.. Thomas explained that if
the Boards proposals are adopted,
all workers and their families would
be assured of some income IN y,oalxo