The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1949-05-26

! lions collected and unused while
/ millions of humans struggle to
make ends meet on pittance-
and at a time when living costs
are at an all time high.
A Forgotten People
In terms of per capita income,
the old folks of America are truly
| forgotten people. For the nation
as whole, per capita income for
l947 amounted to one thousand,
three hundred and twenty three
dollars according to the depart
ment of commerce. Contrast this
with the average of $504 ($42 a
month for II mOnthS) paid to
old age assistance recipients, and
the $500 paid to old age insurance
beneficiaries under Social Secur-
ity.
We can not gloss over the OBJ
vious conclusion that the present
program is completely made
quate. 1t offers a mere pittance,
not security at all. It's other
shortcomings are legion. 1t fails
to cover millions of useful citi-
zens-farmers, farmhands, do
mestics, small business men, pro-
fessional men and many others.
1t pins the stigma of charity on
those obliged to rely upon old
age assistance, and thus strips the
individual of his dignity
The American people have
shown that they recognize the
failure of the present set-up. No
fewer than 5000 business and in
dustrial concerns have estab-
ished private pension programs
of their own, in an effort to sup
plement social security payments.
Labor unions are beginning to
take an avid interest in the pen
sion field, as witness the United
Mine Workers success in getting
$100-a-month pensions for retired
members of that organization.
And, then, of course, we have
civil service pensions, railroad
retirement pensions, and special
pensions for judges, school teach
erS, and war veterans. The list is
endless.
But out of this confusion one
undeniable fact energies: Most of
the people-the ordinary, every
day American people - either
have no old age protection at all,
or are forced to apply for the
$42-a-month old age assistance.
Hodge-Podge System
And so today we find ourselves
meshed in hodge-podge of pen
sion systems, many of them over
tapping, many of them contradic-
tory, even, and at the same time
we find a vast area in which
there are millions of people who
enjoy no protection at all. | do
not want to destroy existing pen
sion systems, but do want a bet
ter system for old age pensioners
and | want a sound system for
the millions of farmers and
others that are not now covered
by Social Security.
| want system on pay-aS-We
go basis. Let us enact a program
of social security that will be
truly comprehensive-one that
will take in all the eligible people
of this nation, and one that will
grant equal benefits to all. Let
us enact a program that will pay
benefits high enough to enable
recipients to live in decency
rather than in poverty.
Social SanuritV
1t is my belief that a social
| security system worthy of the
| name should do far more than
provide mere subsistence bene-
fits. 1t should guarantee reason
able purchasing power to the re-
tired aged, the disabled and the
blind. A cancer in a mans body
IS not an isolated thing; unless
cured, it will eventually destroy
the remainder of the healthy It's
sue in his body. So it is with
poverty. If substantial segment
Of our people-the old and the
d!.abled and the blind-are
| forced to remain in poverty, their
poverty will eventually spread
and infect the rest of us.
People without basic purchas-
ing power can not buy the goods
that industry produced and deal
ers have for sale. And when lack
of purchasing power dries up the