Evening star., 1950-08-16
Conference on Aging
To Report Sessions
Findings 10 Truman

President Truman soor will be
presented with a complete report
on the National Conference on
Aging, conducted during the last
three days by 808 experts meet
ing in the Shoreham Hotel.
The conference ended yesterday.
Federal Security Administrator
Oscar Ewing described the groups
findings as "a great new move
ment to give meaning and fulfill
ment to the later years of every
man and woman" The recon-
mendations include:
An amendment of the Social
Security Act to permit old-age as
sistance to persons living in in
stitutionS for the aged.
Elimination of maximums on
old-age assistance payments.
Designation of some Govern
ment agency with responsibility
Of inspecting and licensing insti-
tutionS for the aged.
Statewide Planning.
Planning for the aging on a
Statewide basis, but with each
community assuming as much re-
Sponsibility as possible.
Establishment of local, State
and national clearing houses to
exchange information and ex-
perienceS, with wide participation
Of public and private agencies.
Disregard of age as the sole
factor in compulsory retirement
plans.
On this question Of retirement,
the section devoted to the subject
commented that "the Nation
cannot afford to do without the
services and experience OF its
elder workers"
This group stressed that every
effort should be made to put
older workers in the most useful
Jobs during the present period OF
full employment. On the other
hand, they should not be made
to bear the brunt Of any depres-
lions by being denied jobs in
favor Of younger people, IT was
agreed.
Better Church Pensions Urged.
Delegates to the section on re-
ligion, representing Catholic,
Protestant and Jewish faiths,
agreed that churches and Syna-
gogues should improve their re-
tirement pension policies for their
ministers and other employees.
This section adopted a resolu-
ton thanking the Federal Security
Agency for calling the conference
and for FSA programs in the f1elo
Of aging.
Employment of older people also
came up in another group meet
ing. DR.. Joseph Mountin OF the
United States Public Health SerV-
ice declared that now is the time
to bring the aged back into the
labor force as productive members
Of society"
He added that the entire prob
lem of aging should not be put
on the shelf until after the pres
ent world crisis is over" but that
older people be allowed to make
their contribution to the war e1-
fort.
Work Now Hindered.
Delegates in the professional
workers section agreed that social
attitudes now are hinderlng many
professional workers from want
ing to deal with the aging" Ac-
cordingly, they said. the field
needs to be made more attrac-
tive"
There was considerable senu-
ment among the delegates thar
this conference be the first OF
many national forums on the
subject.
The various reports were sum-
med I'D at a luncheon by DWlgnC
Cooke, radio commentator ana
public affairs analyst.
Mr.. Ewing, in concluding the
conference, stated that wnie II
was 10 to is years late In start
ing, 1--WE are not too late. He
said the delegates had embarked
on "a crusade" which he com.
pared to movements against child
1L.u ond for uornen's rights.