The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1948-05-06
LABOR AND THE LAW
BY the Education Bureau o America "
SOCIAL SECURITY

Anyone conversant with the his
tory of the social security program
in this country must be very much
concerned at the failure OF the
present Congress to face the urgent
need for strengthening and broad
ening our present system as a
safeguard against future economic
stress and possible depression.
1t is true that Congress is con-
fronted with many serious problems
at home and abroad. However,
necessary expansion of our social
security system should logically
take place in a period of high en-
ployment and production such as
we are having at present. Current
and prospective continuance of high
price levels, established when living
costs were considerably lower IN
the late thirties combine to argue
for an upward revision of the bene-
fits.
There was very little publicity
or fanfare when payment of So
cial security benefits began in this
country little more than ten years
ago. The depression years had per
suaded most Americans that the
act was a very necessary measure
to guarantee a minimum security to
the unemployed, the needy blind,
the aged, and dependent children.
Yet the lack of widespread COM
ment from platform, pulpit or press
on the relation of the new program
to the welfare of our people was
significant. The hostility of large
section of business and the press
to the social security principle was
undoubtedly responsible for much
of this lack of attention. Then,
again, few people even today real
ize that the state administrated pro-
grams of old age assistance, aid
to the blind, and to needy children
were inaugurated under the Fed
eral Social Security program in the
late thirties.
Helps Maintain Our Economy
The hundreds of millions of dol
lars spent yearly during the late
thirties through the WPA and the
Federal work programs to relieve
the serious unemployment of the
period also diverted attention from
the much smaller sums disbursed
through the Social Security Board.
Later, during the war years, with
a shortage of manpower, thousands
of older workers who normally
might have been dependent on So
cial security benefits or assistance
were able to maintain themselves
in productive employment. All these
factors combine to underscore the
need for continuous emphasis on
the contribution the present social
security program can make to
maintaining our peace-time econo-
my at high level.
1t should be more generally real
lied that consistently through the
years the number of people and the
amount of funds paid to them
monthly under the Social Security
Act have increased. In June of 1947,
for example, the Social Security
Administration reports that ap-
proximately five million men, wo-
men, and children were receiving
allowances under various phases of
the program; and in January OF
the same year it was estimated
that approximately 41h million
persons had acquired covered status
under the old age and survivors in
surance program.
Recommendations of the A. f. of L..
The American Federation of La
Dor believes that the more than ten
years of experience have clearly
demonstrated the need for
strengthening and extending the
provisions of the present act. 1t is
intellectually behind the follow
ing recommendation of the Social
Security Administration:
/. Establishment of a compre-
hensive basic national system Of
contributing social insurance to
cover major risks to economic in
dependence of workers and their
dependents, including insurance
against wage loss in periods of dis
ability and loss for costs Of medl-
cal care.
2. Strengthening of the public
welfare program, including public
i assistance and family and child
welfare services to remove differ