Evening star., 1945-08-14
Job|essFund
For Dc Put al
$41,614,000
Sufficient to Pay
$40 of EIigibIes
$17.78 for 17Weeks

Lie blSGIlCI uilculplOyIucut COIl-
pensation fund, swollen to SAL ,614,-
600 during the full employment
years of the war, is ample to pay
81 per cent of covered workers at
the average rate of $1778 a week
for II weeks.
This was announced today by
Miss Lavinia Engle, regional director
for the Social Security Board, on
the 10th anniversary of the Social
Security Act.
Since the late President Roose-
velt signed the act 10 years ago to-
day, all of it's benefits, including
old-age and survivors insurance,
old-age assistance and aid to de-
pendent children and the blind,
have resulted in payments of $685.
019,000 to District residents, Miss
Engle said.
First Paid in 1910.
Though the present provisions
for family-wide protection under
old-age and survivors insurance are
only about 51a years old, this in
surance system is expected event.
ually to pick up the bulk of the
long-term load now carried through
public assistance programs" Miss
Engle added.
The first monthly benefits under
this program were paid in the Dis
trict in 1910. Last June payments
in the District amounted to $118,590
per month with 6,505 persons bene-
fitting. OF this number 3,735 were
men and women IS years old or
more, 1858 were children of deceased
or retired workers and 812 were
widows with young children in their
care.
Throughout the Nation approxi-
mately 1,250,000 persons were re-
ceiving benefits totaling more than
$3.50, 100000 year at the end of last
June.
Cutbacks Boost Payments.
Miss Engle said that while un-
employment compensation pay
ments were at a low ebb during the
defense and war periods, benefit
payments are slightly increased at
the moment due to cutbacks in war
production.
Peak year since unemployment
compensation payments began in
January. 1888, was in March, 1910,
when weekly benefits were paid to
6,496 persons in the District. The
low mark was November, 1914, when
only 315 drew benefits in an av-
erage week.
Miss Engle also noted that war
time work opportunities have re-
duced the old-age assistance rolls,
since many younger old folks"
have been able to get work.
Average public assistance pay
ments made to District individuals
in May were: Old-age assistance,
$31.78 to 2,44l men and women; aid
to the blind, $34.82 to 202 persons;
aid to dependent children, $3.50 to
1920 children in COG families.
Eight-Year Payments.
Payments for public assistance in
the District from 1886 through 1914
totaled $13,292,000 OF this amount
s8,075 900 went to the needy aged,
s663,000 to the needy blind and
S4,554 900 to families with depend
ent children.
In Maryland, officials reported that
s94 1858, 900 had been paid under the
act by the first of this year. The
first monthly payments, it was said.
began in 1910, and by last June
amounted to $339, 1863 per month,
with 1904 persons receiving bene-
fits.
OF the total number of persons.
officials said, 10,623 were men and
women IS years old or more, 6,O98
were children of deceased or retired
workers and 1923 were widows with
young children in their care.
Unemployment compensation pay
ments, which have been at low ebb
. in Maryland during the war, reached
peak in March, 1888, when pay
ments were going to 44,414 workers
! The low mark was set in October
1914, when only 613 workers drew