Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-27
SOCIAL SECURITY
AND DREAMERS

= OF all the pieces of legislation before
i congress today, none requires more and
deeper study than the administration
= measures on social security. Known as
the Cradle to the Grave" program, these
bills, identical as they now appear on the
calendars of house and senate, are inn
possible in the view of many Likewise
they plan appeals to many. If enacted
s would these measures be wide of the mark
in giving the country workable plan
over period of years, opponents assert
We still like to think of the pot of gold
at the end of the rainbow, but the beauty
of the myth would be destroyed if some
tinkerer came along and promised pot
of gold as a starter, with pots scattered
along the way to keep wayfarerS primed
for the climax. And in the opinion of
many that is just what the cradle to the
). grave" promise holds out.
). Most certainly few, if any, would con-
s sent to see the social security plan scrap
ped BY the same token they will not
agree to see it emasculated by a set Of
: dreamers or bunch of opportunists on
the prowl for political favors Both
E, these groups should have nothing to do
.. with any new Set-up.
Two classes of people are affected
. directly by social security program
the beneficiaries and those who pay for
it. Naturally these groups merge be
: cause future beneficiaries are paying on
i it now. Primarily and first of all, any
social security plan must be concerned
!. with benefitting people when they reach
the age of nom productivity. No one save
a dreamer would want to have it provide
. a free and workless life. That penalties
/. initiative and ambition and strikes
!. squarely at the roots of society. To pay
!, for such a program would impoverish
a nation and make paupers of that peo-
! pie.
Getting to the practical side of the
question, no measure strikes so deeply
at the financial structure of every busi-
ness and industry Some of the dream
features call for payments beyond what
industries and businesses can pay in
wages; the cost is direct tax and must
be studied in that light.
Still further, the bills propose a pro-
gram that only means disappointment
for those who are entitled to some form
of security. We suggest that this phase
of the plan should have first and most
careful consideration and from this study
may come policy or system that meets
the needs of all and gives assurance of
continued assistance on into years ahead.
Mingled with the social security prob
lem are retirement pay, unemployment
insurance, health insurance, hospitaliza-
tion and so on. Manifestly all this calls
for careful study if the very fundament-
J ais of the program are to be preserved.
And we should get this all settled and
working satisfactorily before we under
take to extend it to the whole world.
And it is unfortunate that some of our
high officials like Vice President Wallace
J have expanded their dreams to the ends
of the earth. They only contribute to the
muddling of the situation in the United
States and they are holding out promises
) that can not be fulfilled, even by Uncle
Sam, who is, after all not King Midas.
: By all means let us move cautiously
lest we destroy what already has been
built. Long strides have been made in
this matter of security and so far in
itiative and individual efforts have not
been sacrifices. When that happens no
social security plan will be feasible or
pOSSiblp