Evening star., 1950-03-26
Free Pensions for Old
Seen as Mudd|ed Idea
Its Bipartisan Advocates
Said to Be ignoring Cost
By Fronk r. Kent

just before this session OF Congress
began there were predictions galore that
one of the first topics to come up for
consideration would be that of pensions
for the aged. Further, it was asserted
that plans along these lines were assured
OF such strong bipartisan support that
early enactment of an adequate meas
ure" was sure
These expectations were based upon
number of significant things First,
TINS is an election year and sessions Of
Congress are peculiarly susceptible to
proposals OF this kind in such years.
Second, the number of citizens over so
years old now in the country is we'll
over II million. or l out of every 13.
The number grows annually and it is
estimated that in so years will have
reached 81 million, or out of g. Third,
ii million citizens constitute a lot Of
voters, more than three times as many
as there were in this age group in 1886
when the Townsend plan made its peak
national appeal.
Evan Clague, Commissioner of Labor
Statistics, declared in December that
with 'the old and the near old' making
up half the total voting population pen
sions for everybody seem assured"
Quickly soaking. up this idea, dema-
gogues all over the country-and some
who are not demagogues-began to
whoop for pensions. Among the first
was Jimmy" Roosevelt, who is trying
to get himself elected Governor of Cali
fornia. Close behind him was the ebul-
lent Senator Claude Pepper of Florida,
who has stiff fight for denomination
this spring. Then Mr.. Truman's flashy
Secretary of Labor. Maurice Tobin.
made speech in which he advocated
sl00 month Federal pension for every
citizen over 60 whether idle or employed.
Two outstanding Republican Senator's
have expressed themselves on the general
situation. Senator Robert A. Taft pointed
out that some of the proposals advanced
would cost the Federal Treasury $12 bill
lion a year. Nevertheless conced-
ing that something in the direction of
broadening help to our older citizens
should be done, he urged that Congress at
this session appoint commission to
study the whole subject and recommend
plan that would be feasible, just and
within the ability of the country to
finance without wrecking it's fiscal sys-
tenn. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge in his
HCAolltlC Noil0llly dl llV1e, pledOlllS lOT lllc
Inodernization of the Republican Party.
insisted that the Republicans should have
party policy on the pension proposition
that would be liberal but at the same
time practical.
The situation is so confused that there
is almost no clear thinking in any quar-
ter. The union leaders are ready to go
the limit for free pensions" Numerou
states are tending in that direction
Congress is soon to be wheeled into lin
for more security" The Federal Gov
ernment, the State governments and pri-
Vate corporations with a separa,
system-are supposed to see to it the
everybody who is old. sick or disabled at
all times is to have at least S10O a
month cash income.
Obviously, free pensions" have an ap-
peal to the largest group of voters we
have. 1t is to be expected that the clap
trap boys in both parties will take full
advantage OF this in an election year.
All the professional liberals are howl
ing for it. 1t is right up the alley of the
So-called Americans for Democratic
Action. Few voices, indeed, have been
Or are likely to be-rsised to point
out that the result easily may be an
empty Treasury and no security" at all
for any one. Yet. though almost two
months have passed since it convened,
slight progress toward bringing a pension
plan out on the floor in Congress has
been made. However, too much comfort
is not to be derived from that. There
are nearly four more months to 20. The
votes to extend the Social Security Sys-
tenn in the direction of free pensions"
are unquestionably there. It will be sur
prising, if before adjournment, with most
OF the members up for reelection, some
favorable action is not taken.