Evening star., 1949-05-29
Ewing Report Urges
Action on ; Programs
For Social Benefits
By Froncis P. DoueIos

system. expansion OF social secur.
ity and Federal aid to education
In the annual report OF hi!
agency. he said that TO wait until
catastrophe oyertakes US anc
forces us into hastily devised
emergency measures is to disre-
gard the most elementary prin.
ciples of craftsmanship"
All three OF the programs. how
ever. have encountered heavy 60
ing In Congress. with the prospect
that none OF them viii become
law at this session.
Surely the time TO strengthen
and extend our security program
Is now. In this period OF top pros.
perity." Mr.. Ewing argued. He
said the entire program should
be so organized and reinforced
that 1t will not only meet normal
emergencies but also stand firm
against any possible cycle Of bao
times"
Living Costs Cited.
Mr.. Ewing said there was "a
crisis in social security" He
pointed out that at the end OF
the 1948 fiscal year the prices OF
all consumer commodities had
riseh ~ per cent above the 1885,
80 base. Yet the monthly benefi,
paid retired worker with no de-
pendents had increased less than
an average of SO. he said.
Letters of appeal to the Federal
Security Agency" he reported to
Congress and the President. ear
ried an accelerating note of des-
peration. 1t was evident that tens
of thousands Of our old people had
exhausted all their known re-
sources and were simply unable
to make ends meet any longer on
the payments available under the
program"
Contained in the agency's re-
port is that Of Arthur J. Altmeyer
social security commissioner. His
report gives the average monthly
under Old Age and Sur
vivors Insurance to the retired
worker over IS with no dependents
as S25.13 a month. The worker &
earning had been taxed through
payroll deductions and his en-
ployer also had been taxed. On
the other hand the needy aged
worker. not covered by the insur-
ance program and not taxed for
it, received an average of $38 a
1948 Figures Cited.
These figures are for June, 1948.
They have increased slightly since
then.
Mr.. Altmeyer said that measured
in numbers Of persons the insur-
ance program is gradually taking
over q larger part Of the program
for the care OF the aged and OF
children deprived Of their parents
support.
During the year the number of
persons drawing monthly benefits
under the insurance program in
creased 1s percent. or from .s32,-
900 to 2,l63.000. In the same
period those who received public
assistance increased from 3.342,-
900 to 3.597 900. less than per
cent.
Payments to insurance bene.
ficiaries increased from $3.50
600 to $530,000, 900 In the year
ending June 80. i94s. This was
an increase Of az per cent. Public
assistance payments increased
from $1.1s1. 10000 to $l.4s0. .00o.-
600 in the same period. a gain Of
"a per cent.
More Elderly People Now.
Mr.. Ewing stressed the inter-
relation Of the different parts OF
his program. Citing the declining
death rate among children he
said: consequently more people
live to old age and more middle
aged people live to become chronic
This evolution provides
not only a strong reason for an
of our old age security
program but also makes impera-
tive medical control Of the dis
eases Of old age and the mounting
load Of chronic diseases"
He said regular school health
examinations looking toward
needed medical treatment may
prove rs vital to the future job
security Of a child as his training
In some vocational course"
Vocational rehabilitation may
enable q chronic invalid to earn .
living for his family when other
wise he might become dependent
upon public assistance" he added.
"A worker temporarily out Of q job
who has unemployment insurance
will feel freer to spend money for
medical care for his family
than il he has no other current
income"