The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1946-03-01

dOrsed Il In the last election
campaign, the social security
board last month preached the
subject to congressional atten-
ton once again, and there Is
bill which would accomplish 1t
tho Wagner Murray Dingell
bill. This bill was sent to the
house ways and means commit
tee on May "A, 1945, and It's
still there, gathering dust. It is
doubtful that the committee will
take any action unless some
pressure is brought to bear by
interested parties.
OF course, there is opposition to
the idea in some quarters. Some
persons who oppose including farm
ers, and other workers not now in
sured, advance the nation-can't-af-
ford-it argument. They say that as
more and more persons in occupa-
tons covered by social security
reach the retirement age, the
amounts paid into the trust fund
aren't going to be sufficient to pay
them off, unless the treasury digs
down and adds public funds.
In 1889, the lawmakers threshed
this out and came up with a plan
to make the fund continuously self
supporting. They decided to make
the contributions high enough SO
that the government would not have
to help out. They agreed to keep
the present l per cent from en-
ployee and per cent from employ
er rate until 1913. After that, they'd
increase it to 2 per cent each; then
to rs per cent; then to 8 per cent
from 1913 on. However, congress
deferred the rate increase dur
ing the war, and hasn't ever gotten
around to tipping it. Unless rates
are increased, undoubtedly the
treasury will have to shell out in
future years, when the system gets
into full swing. And If farmers
and other presently uninsured work.
ers are brought in-undoubtedly the
treasury will have to shell out more.
Other Aid
NolU Tops Billion
Consider what the government is
already handing out to support aged
persons not covered by social Sc
curity. The costs Of old-age assist
ance and aid to dependent children
from 1888 to 1914, to the country,
added up to a tidy billion dollars.
And costs will continue to 60 up as
the average age Of the population
rises. All of which means the gov
eminent has dispensed almost bill
lion dollars in charity topersons who
might, had they been able to make
regular social security contributions
during their working years, have
been able to get along without such
charity.
Other opponents fOresee the
farmer begged down i'm an ava
lanche Of government question
naires, financial reports, lists,
ledgers and statistics, should he
be made a participating mem.
Der Of the social security sys-
tenn. But under Mr.. Benedict's
plan, the farmers duties to his
government where social secur-
ity Is concerned are q minimum.
He won't have to keep detailed
farm records. The reports he
does have to make are simple
ones. As matter of fact, II
he uses the stamp plan to take
care Of his employees social Sc
curity payments, he won't have
as much paper work as indus
trial or professional employers
have.
Stil another argument is adj
vanced by people who predict
glomily that if workers are as
sured Of a regular income from
social security after retirement,
they won't work; they won't save
during the years they can work.
Mr.. Benedict thinks that argu-
ment is as ancient as the recon-
structed dodo in the Smithsonian in
stitution. Social security benefits, as
set up now, win certainly not buy
retiring oldsters any mink coats or
Cadillac coupes. The benefits are
very modest ones. Any sensible per-
son can see he'll have to have some
other resources besides social Sc
curity II he wants to live at any
level above the barest minimum Of
subsistence when he reaches retire
ment age. He'll save money, try to
accumulate property, perhaps carry
private business insurance too. But
if he can't save, and it's not only
the farmers who can't, social Sc
curity benefits In later years may
keep him from becoming a public