Evening star., 1948-05-25
g. 0.P. Sees Politics
Behind Truman Plea
On Social Security
President Asks Increase
In Old Age Benefits
And Higher Wage Tax
BY the Assoeioted Press

President Truman touched off
a Republican cry Of politics
today with his message calling
on Congress to raise social Sc
curity benefits and let 10000, 1000
more people share in them.
He asked that old-age payments
be increased by at least one-half.
And to pay for the increases, the
Chief Executive proposed that the
present social security tax of / per
cent on employer and employe not
only be raised by so per cent next
January but that it apply to an
additional $1,000 Of income.
Chairman Reed OF a House Ways
and Means subcommittee drafting
its own social security expansion bill
told reporters:
HE is playing politics with the
security program. This will not
change our attitude. We are going
along on a safe basis"
No General Increase Seen.
The subcommittee bill is not ex-
pected to propose any general in
crease in old-age benefits. However,
it may open the way for about
3,500,00o more people to take part
in the program.
Chairman Knutson OF the full
Ways and Means Committee COM
mented: I'VE are all for these things
the President recommends. But so
long as he continues to spend hun
dreds of millions on needless and
wasteful projects Congress cannot
do the things it would like to-"
Representative Doughton, Demo-
crat, OF North Carolina, top ranking
minority member of the committee
said he thinks some changes would
be helpful, but it is a little late
in the session now to do much
about them"
Chairman Taft of the Senate Re-
publican Policy Committee assert
ed: The Democrats were in power
for IA years and if they had really
wanted to change the law they
could have done it."
Truman Urges Quick Action.
In his message late yesterday, Mr.
Truman said the present program is
seriously inadequate" to ease the
desperate" plight of the aged and
needy in time of imitation. He
urged immediate action to:
l. Broaden the old-age and sur
vivors insurance to cover self-em-
ployed, farm workers, domestic
workers and some other groups now
excluded. The program now covers
about 100000 employed persons
The Presidents plan would increase
this number to 50,000,000.
2. Increase old-age benefits by al
least SO per cent, with women tc
become eligible at age so instead Of
IS and elderly persons to be allowed
to earn up to $40 month, insteac
of the present SIS, without disqual.
flying themselves for the benefits.
3. Raise the social security tax or
employees pay and employers pay
rolls from l per cent to IL per cent
on next January Instead of wait.
ing for such an automatic increase
in 1850; make the tax apply to tht
first $4,000 of a persons income
instead of the present $4,000 limit
Would Raise Aid to J0bless.
4. Increase unemployment bene'
fits and extend this protection
against job loss to two groups nov
excluded-Federal workers and en-
ployes of small firms that emplos
eight or fewer persons In the Dis.
trict it Is one employee
5. Broaden the system to include
insurance against loss of earnings
due to sickness or other disability
The President said disability may
have an even more serious effect on
family income than old age OF
death"
6. Expand public help for the
needy by permitting the Federal
fGoyernment to match the higher
payments which many States find
necessary to meet the needs OF relief
recipients, aged, blind and children.
The President said he has recon-
mended repeatedly for three years
an expansion OF the social security
program. But instead of following
his proposals, he said. Congress has
taken steps toward removing social