Evening star., 1950-08-15
The Problem of the Aqinq

The National Conference on Aging-which
comes to close here today-has been overshad-
owed by news about war and rumors of war. But
the problem it has been dealing with is never
theless one of paramount Importance to the
future well-being of America, politically, econom-
ically and socially.
In 1900 one out of every Is Americans was
aged 65 years over-a total, all told, OF $780,
900. Today half century later, the total in this
oldSter bracket, out of national population OF
15O,O0O0OO, is 11,514OOO, or one out of every 13.
The figure, moreover, is growing at such rate
that it is expected to reach 2OOOO,OOO within the
next three decades.
Proportionately speaking, owing to improved
medicine and surgery and to the striking gain
in average life expectancy since 1900, what this
means is that the number of Americans 65 years
or over is growing faster than the number Of
the young In itself, that fact would not neces-
Sariy constitute serious problem, but the un-
fortunate reality is that most Of our aging peo-
pie finding it more and more difficult to sup
port themselves and lead happy and constructive
lives after their retirement from gainful full
time employment-a retirement that is compul-
sorry in many of our industrial enterprises.
Thus, of the 11,514OOO Americans now in the
65-and-up age group, approximately third
$500 0OO-have no cash income whatever. An
other third have an income of less than $500
year. OF the total according to the Census Bu-
reau only between 10 to 20 per cent have attained
financial independence. In other words most of
our aging citizens are dependent on government
aid, private charity and/or the help of their
younger relatives, who in large numbers are re-
luctant to bear the burden. In short, the Situa-
ton is one in which the average oldster is having
a tough and lonely time trying to keep body and
soul together.
Under our program of social security old-age
benefits this year will amount to $2,735, 100000,
or close to five times the total in 1889. decade
from now, when 14,700,000 Americans are ex-
pected to be IS, this aid, If 1t Is kept within
it's present individual limitations, will involve
outlay of $6,767 100000 annually, and If it goes
up to $100 month"; it will cost more than ST.
900, 900. These staggering figures serve as a
measure of the problem Of the aging-a problem
whose solution in economic terms, Is likely to
require system of part-time employment and
broader private pension plans.
Further, wholly apart from its economic as
pectS-including the oldSterS' Importance as
great consumer market whose purchasing power
has key bearing on our overall proSperity-th1s
highly complex problem has significant political
and social implications. AS far as politics CO. such
a big segment of our population, If shabbily dealt
with, would be meat for the demagogues And
socially of course as a simple human matter,
it is in the Nations interest that its aging citizens
should be able to live out their sunset years in
reasonable contentment.
Needless to say, this is not problem that can
be solved overnight by magic formula. But a
sound, Step-by-step solution to it can be worked
out by Just such conferences as the one now
drawing to close. At any rate, though put in
the shade by more critical and more urgent world
events it is serious enough to require sober think
ing and planning-not least of all because our
average life expectancy is steadily increasing and
may, according to some scientists, be in excess
Of 100 years in the predictable future.