The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1944-08-03
The AnedtanWsy
BY cesrr Psck

In 9 recent editorial I expressed the
hope that the Republican party would
incorporate in its platform 9 pledge not
only to continue Social Security but to
expand it to include every citizen Of
the nation.
.1rcn-A reader eshss asyssy pertinent
and sound criticism. I quote Q part Of
his letter: Il fear I have TO, differ with
YOU. . . The Eesslts Of Saeisl Security
laws certsiniy msst tend 70 destro.
thrift, savings and self-cspendence. II
We take q meas money by taxes and
set II aside for him for his future pro-
lection. he certainly Is less inclined to
do the same thing for himself and you
eeYtaiplys don't, strsne6hss4 hfss charac-
ter ..ss ~ ssg ~
In rebsttsl Is this l would now like to
say what | neglected to say in the pre-
vious editorial, that old age pensions
under Social Security should be kept at
q mere subsistence level, so a. to leave
plenty Of incentive for the average self
reliant individual to augment his pen
sion by his own industry and thrift dur
ing his years Of gainful occupation.
As nov, there always will be certain
of our citizens who, taking no thought
Of the morrow, will make no attempt to
lay something aside for their old age.
While it is dsplorable that there are
and always will be such prodigal indi-
viduals. they constitute a problem that
must be dealt with sanely and r~ealisti-
cally.
Also ~ now, there always will be mil
lions Of people who have been indus
~trious, who honestly have tried to be
thrifty, but through no fault Of their
own will arrive at old age with nothing
set aside for the rainy day for example,
take the parents who have raised five
! or six children, sacrificed to give these
children advantages including a good
education, thus contributing good citi.
zens to the nation, and who may find
themselves at the end Of their produc-
ton years with little or nothing with
which to tide them over their declin-
ing years.
Without the old age pensions of Social
Security, people who either by reason Of
their own shiftlessness, or due to causes
over which they have no control, become
wards of the government or Of private
| charity. With the old age pensions Of
Social Security, they simply reap the
benefit Of what the government forced
them to set aside out of their own
earnings during their gainful years,
supplemented by an equal amount from
their employers-they do not become
charges Of government, relatives, or pri-
vate philanthropy. The percentage of
deduction from wages necessary to in
sure this much-to-be-desired independ-
ence in old age can be kept so small as
scarcely to be missed as it is deducted.
The administration Of Social Security
to date has left much to be desired. 1t
does not cover all of the people. which
in itself unjust discrimination. Also, it
is generally known that billions of dol
lars which have been taken from wages
and salaries for the Social Security fund
have been spent by the government for
other purposes. This is dishonest and a
practice that must be stopped. Social
Security. properly planned and admins
tered, need not destroy incentive and
will make for a happier and better
American society-and that, in my
opinion, seems to be a most worthy OBJ
| i~oet,vc. .omething to which the political
leaders of both major parties al well
give their most earnest attention.