Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-19
Senate 10 Vote Today
On Adding s. a Month
To 0Id-Age Payments
By J. A. O'Leoy

The Senate will vote today on
whether to add So month to old
age payments. under the Social
Security insurance system as well
as the State public assistance pro-
grams.
There is strong sentiment for
making the increase for those on
the State relief rolls, but opposi-
ton has developed to another
change at this time in the Federal
old-age pension system without
further study by the Finance Com
mittee. Congress revised the pro-
gram upward year ago.
President Truman stepped into
the fight yesterday with letter to
Vice President Barley. in which
he said that if the relief payments
are to be raised, the same in
crease should go to the pensioners.
Shortly after the letter was
read, however, Senator Humphrey,
Democrat, of Minnesota, said he
had "a feeling of impending
doom" about his Social Security
pension amendment. Senators
Lehman, Democrat-Liberal of New
York, and Senator LANCER. Re-
publican, of North Dakota, joined
him in sponsoring the amend
ment.
Opponents Urge Delay.
Opponents Of the Humphrey
Lehman-Langer proposal argued
that, since the Social Security
pensions are paid out of an in
surance fund made up of payroll
taxes by employers and employees
in industry, the payments from
the fund should not be changed
by hasty floor action without COM
mittee consideration.
Mr.. Truman commended the in
Isurance fund could stand the in
creased pension payment because
wage increases are boosting the
reserve. Mr.. Truman also argued
that the average payment under
the pension system should be kept
lat least as high as the public
relief payments. The payments
now average about $43 a month
under both programs, he said.
An increase in public assistance
alone, he said, would result in an
average pension lower than the
average relief payment.
The So additional for relief re-
cipients would be provided out Of
the Federal Treasury. Ordinarily
the States are required to match
the Federal allotments. In this
l case there is no matching require
ment, but the Senate adopted an
amendment yesterday to make
sure the States do not reduce their
present contributions, which
would leave the recipients without
any increase.
; Senator Kerr, Democrat. of
Oklahoma, floor manager of the
bill, agreed an increase in lnsur-
ance benefits is desirable, but
1 said it should be studied by the
:. Finance Committee to avoid in
equities.
Complication Denied.
Senator Humphrey denied
there is anything complicated
about raising both types of pay
mentS. If the Humphrey pro-
posal is adopted the maximum re-
tirement annuity to an individual
: would be $3.50 instead of $50.
Senator Cain, Republican, Of
Washington attacked the entire
social security system as now con-
stltuted. He recognized the need
for such a program, and said he
would pay as high a tax as any
one to put IAN honest social Sc
curity into operation"
Senator Cain called the old-age
assistance program a skeleton
in the fiscal closet" He. said it's
S cost has continued to rise each
year, although Congress was given
the impression Is years ago that
this program would be a tempo
rary expedient until the social Sc
!. curity contributory pension sys-
TEN became fully effective. He
favored some method of doing the
whole job on an annual basis.
starting each January with a
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