Evening star., 1953-09-23
Long Delay Expected
In Social Security
Revision Proposals
By Robert K. Welsh

~ NOOSit ~ V0lSU
Congress may have to wait
until close to adjournment next
year before final action on legis-
lation to broaden or otherwise
greatly change the social security
system.
The best estimate available to-
day at the Capitol was that no
comprehensive revision bill will
get out of the House Ways and
Means Committee. after probably
extensive hearings, until April.
This appeared likely not only
in view of the tentative timetable
of House Ways and Means sub
committee study. but also be-
cause of further fuel heaped on
an already burning controversy
as to what should be done, if
anything, about social security.
FactuaI Study Under Way.
The House subcommittee last
February began developing" the
facts to help the full committee
in its consideration of social Sc
curity problems next year. The
subcommittee held two days of
open hearings last July and plans
others in November. The accent
is on obtaining information
rather than pro and con propo-
sails.
Before the subcommittee re-
ports to the full committee, it
will receive from its staff, prob
ably by January l, the result
of an exhaustive fact-finding
investigation of the status of all
phases of the social security
system and related subjects.
The staff will express no opinions
either way. although it prob
ably will discuss "factual as
poets" of such things as a pay
as-you-go system.
Subcommittee sources said to-
day there has been no decision
whether the subcommittee will
submit recommendations of its
own along with the factual find
ings to the full committee. The
fact-finding report, while not
taking sides on policy matters
which will be left up to the COM
mittee, is expected to discuss its
study of some ITO individual |
social security revision bills in
troduced at the last session of |
Congress.
May Draw New Bill.
In any event, it is regarded |
as almost certain that the full !
committee will discuss the ma |
terlal for some time and then |
hold comprehensive open hear
ings on concrete recommended !
legislation.
The committee, it was ex-
planned, might draft a bill of its |
own or it might incorporate it$i
proposed changes into d Dill ell
ready introduced. Such a gen.
eral revision measure was put in
last August 8 by Ways and |
Means Committee Chairman
Reed of New York. This would |
extend social security coverage to
an additional los million nel-
sons, including farmers. domes-
tic employees. professional people
and various State and local en-
ployes. It would not change
rates or present method of f.
nancing and trust funds.
Mr.. Reed, who last February
appointed the study subcommit- |
tee headed by Representative |
Curtis. Republican, of Nebraska,
emphasized that he introduced |
the bill solely as the basis for fu-
ture committee consideration |
and in line with President Eisen-
hower'S proposal to Congress for |
greater coverage under the old |
age dLIO ouI h1NOIO . 1AlOO1 dL1CC P1O-
gram. Still another Ways and |
Means subcommittee is studying
the unemployment compenSa-
ton part of social security.
More Controversy Seen.
Meanwhile, two other factors
one immediate and the other
due to come up in January-are
regarded at the Capitol as likely
to fan the controversy over social
security and perhaps DELAY con-
gressional action on social Sc
curity until close to adjournment
next year.
One of these is the series of
regional conferences which some
business groups will start next
month for discussion mainly of
social security suggestions of the
United States Chamber of Com
merce. A New England Con-
ference on Social Security" will
open in Boston on october 27.
1t already has been attacked