Evening star., 1950-08-15
Excluding Age
AS Retirement
Factor Urged
Elder Citizens Skill
Is Needed by Country,
Trumun Tells Meeting

Age should not be the sole fac
tor in retirement, labor and in
dustry delegates to the National
Conference on Aging agreed to-
day.
The confereeS recommended
new rules be drawn to take into
account factors other than age in
the light of an older persons job
and physical ability.
Formal action on the proposal
was expected later today as the
three-day conference at the
Shoreham Hotel moved toward
adjournment.
Conference officials said the
recommendation is important
since it was urged by experts re-
tanned by large employers, insur-
ance firms and union officials
representing groups with great
vested interests in pension funds
and retirement plans"
Different Tests Urged.
From one study group today
came a recommendation that the
Civil Service Commission review
its present practices toward hiring
and placing older workers. The
group also said the commission
should avoid "subjecting older
workers to examinations designed
to test the recent high school and
college graduates"
President Truman, in a message
read to the conference last night,
said the Nation needs "the con-
tribution which our older citizens
can make" He said the real
problem was enabling "the older
men and women among us to
make full and happy use of their
added years."
Then, he added, 1--WE have far
to go yet before the social security
system is satisfactory"
The Chief Executives message,
read by Federal Security Admin
istrator Oscar r. Ewing, was one
Of the highlights of the confer
ence dinner. The three-day meet
ing, called by Mr.. Truman as a
national exploratory forum, ends
today.
Truman Offers Solution.
The President declared that "ar-
bitrary age limits deprive us Of
some of our best workers. This is
especially unfortunate at a time
like this when we need increas-
ing production to insure our ma
tional security"
An answer to that, he said, is to
use older persons in part time or
consulting capacities when they
do not wish to continue on their
regular jobs.
Our older men and women, in
achieving longer period of ply
Sical and mental vigor, have
pushed old age in the old-fash-
Toned meaning of that term far
into the later years of their lives"
he said.
The dinner meeting last night
also was marked by presentation
OF a citation to Miss Ollie A.
Randall, consultant on services
for the aged to the Community
Service Society of New York for
pioneering accomplishments"
With emphasis on the Korean
situation, Mr.. Ewing, in another 4
address, declared I'VE must make
full use of the productive effort" Of
the older worker to strengthen our
economy. eve must continue to
study how best we can provide
some measure of genuine financial
security for older workers who
can no longer earn living. We
must redouble our research into
the causes of chronic diseases"
he said.
A proposal to junk the present
social security system came yes
terday afternoon from DR.. Francis
E. Townsend of Los Angeles, long
time battler for old-age pensions.
He said it should be left to an
individual when he wants to re-
tire and said that money from
pensions would aid production.
"The more attractive retirement
can be made, the less competition
for jobs there will be-" he con-G
tended.