The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-03-15
Post War Adjustments
 Worrying House1Uiues
Employment, Illness, Hospital Expense, Doctors Bills, Future Security Loom to Haunt American Housewives Writes Social
 Security Expert.
By ELLEN s. WOODWARD


 Member, Social Security Board
 Worry over the difficulties that may come with the postwar read justment hauntS many housewives today. Willingly they make sacri- fees in wartime, and anxiously they hope and pray for peace. But peace means sudden change from our war economy, and the thought of changes to come sends cold shiverS down the patriotic spine of Mrs, America. Her fear of the changes to come has 8 personal slant. A fairly typical pattern of anxiety might be somewhat like that of Bill Smiths wife:
 How long will Bills wartime job last after peace comes? And If he should be laid of will the family savings last until he gets another job? What about our boy Johnnie didn't he lose his social security rights when he went into service? True, Bill and l will have social se- curity benefits when we are 65, but suppose Bill should get sick or injured - where would the money come from to make up for wages, to pay hospital and doctors bills? Then there's Bills brother a farmer - who says he has no social security protection at all, neither has his hired man.
 There are answers for some of Mrs. Smiths worries and for the worries of other families as well in the Eighth Annual Report of the Social Security Board just sent to Congress.
 That Report explains the safe- guards the Smith family already has under the Social Security Act. Two of our social security programs -o,d-age and survivors insurance and unemployment compensation insure millions of workers against three of these worries-the risks of unemployment, old age, death through provision for cash pay ments, based on previous earnings whenever their wages stop for any of those three reasons.
 Recommendation of the board for liberalizing and extending the Social Security Act. contained in the Report, indicate that her Govern ment is just as concerned about Mrs. Smiths other worries as she is. Our social security system is de- signed to help meet the social haz- ards of life-the gaps in income that threaten nearly every Amer ican family's security.
 Now, what about Bills job? If he loses it before he finds another ht may be in competition with mil lions of ex-servicemen and wal workers also locking for jobs. But at least he will be entitled to week. ly cash payments if he does not gel work ilnmediatly, because his wal job comes under the unemployment insurance program We in the So' cial Security Board think all wage and salary earners should com' under that program. At present several million are left out because of the kind of work they do or thu size of firm theiy work for. WI should take early steps tt strengthen and extend our present State- Federal unemployment insur. ance system against the postwar impacts. Out = of work benefit. should be more adequate in size anC duration. Benefits should be gearec to the number of persons dependent on the worker. and there should bt a single national fund from which any jobleSs person may draw bene. fits regardless of where he lives. Un. employment is a national problem and should be dealt with like othel problems involving national security Who would think of sending out 4t separate State armies with varying military techniques and equipment to overcome our enemy on foreign shores? We have marshaled all the resources of the Federal Govern ment to win this war, and that is exactly what we must do here al home to meet the domestic enemy unemployment.
 What about the social security rights Johnnie built up before he went to war2 His protection under old-age and survivors insurance is diminishing every day he spends in the service Of his country. The So- cial Security Board belives proyi- sions certainly should be made tc safeguard Johnnie's insurance rights. Moreover, wage credits based on his military service should also be added to his social security ac- count: Tn other words. we think the work JohEnle does in uniform should be counted to his credit jusI as if he were back home working in the local bank or some other civilian commercial jcb.
 And what about Mrs. Smith's worries over sickness or injury Here is a dark cloud hanging over every family. It would be tragic in- deed for the Smiths if Bill were permanently disabled with nc wages coming in and bills mount ing. Even If he were temporarily disabled, or If either of them hac an illness calling for hospital care | aa