The union times., 1943-08-07
'FiVe Ugly'Giants Menacing Mankind, Says Sir William

IOIc d large duQ10IlC0 dIlQ III llIC lIIOSt attractive environment imaginable the open-air Sylvan Theater at the base of the Washington Monument, Sir William Beveridge, for the first time in the Nations Capital, discussed his widely-publicized social security plan, described by Winston Churchill as a scheme to safeguard British citi- zens from "the cradle to the grave"
 Sir William has a gift which only love himself can confer on hu- man being-the ability to make a complex subject simple and under standabIe. Sandwiched between se- riOus statements were flashes of wit, which kept his audience in good humOr and very much at its ease. All in all, he is a most effective and persuasive public speaker.
 After listening to him for an hour or two, one wonders why his "plan" was ever described as radical and calculated to carry Britain half way to Moscow
 As a matter of fact, it is very con- servative plan. That's why Winston Churchill, chief of the British Con- servative party, approves it lin prin- ciple" and it also explains why the Rockefeller Foundation has financed Sir Williams tour of the United States and Canada.
 Sir William emphasized he was advocating insurance, and not char ity. The benefciaries-practically all English men and women come under the heading-wOuld pay most of the bill-roughly about $l a week. The governments cOntribu- tion would be very small increase in income tax and penny added to the tax on "a pint of beer."
 BACKS WACNER-DINCELL BILL
 The benefits are sufficient to sus- tain life in Britain, but not in the United States, Sir William pointed out. (The maximum is 40 shillings a week for a man and his wife, or between eight or ten dollars.)
 For this country, he indorsed he new social security proposal approved by the A. F. of L. and introduced i'll the Senate by Senator Bob" Wagner and in the House by Congressman John B. Dingell of Michigan, member of the Typographical Union.
 It does not cover as much territory as his plan, he said, but the details which are omitted might be added i'll the course of time, if deemed advis- able.
 It was a great boost for the Wagner-Dingell bill, and presum- ably the members of Congress on the platform and in the audience were duly impressed.
 Sir William summarized his pro- posal under three headings:
 First, social insurance which will guarantee every citizen and his de- pendents sufficient income for their subsistence when earnings are inter rupted for any reason-sickneSs, ac- cident, unemployment or old age, or brought about by the death of the breadwinner.
 There is to be no ''means test" :" Citizens are not to, be penalized be- cause they have been thrifty. How ever much they may have they will get social security benefits, too.
 Second, health insurance ssto make certain that whatever medical treatment of any kind, general or special, 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 treat ment."
 British doctors are nervous about that scheme, but Sir William said the Churchill government is carrying on negotiations in the hope that the doc tors can be won over. No one wished first, and he was quite sure the doc tors would see that the plan in the to hurt the doctors, he declared, but the health of the citizen must come first, and he was quite sure the doctors see that the plan in the long run was a good thing for them, as well as for their patients.
 Third, a system of children's al lowances, fin order to make certain that no child need lack the physical means of life"
 ssCan England afford this plan?" asked Sir William, and he answer ed with emphasis, ''England can- mot afford to risk the future with. out it.''
 He submitted data to show there Is plenty of income in Britain to support the plan, and, of course, he said this country is in much better shape to embrace the reform.
 This is war on poverty, not on capital" said Sir William, and he re- peated what he had said in every one of his speeches:
 No social insurance scheme can stand up in the face of mass unemployment! Therefore, in- dustry and the government must provide jobs for those able and
 willing to work.
 There are five ugly giants" barring the road to the kind of world man. kind has right to demand, he sug- gested. Want, ignorance, squalor, disease. idlenesS." His scheme 1.yo,,Id