Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-26

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complex "for any one human
mind to comprehend"
Bellies His 81 Years
So far as all evidence shows
10 date. the Secretary who looks
far younger than his So years
suffers no qualms about his new
job or his ability to do 1t. He
has admitted that when he ac-
cepted the appointment he did
not know exactly what he was
getting into. The comparatively
youthful department itself may
require a bit more OF shaking
doWn-although, not necessarily
a shaking up-but the situation
seems reasonably and quietly
we'll in hand.
On the eve of battles Mr..
Folsom realistically knows he
will have to wage with Con-
gress, some aspects OF the
departments position or the
Secretary's attitudes can be cited
because they have been over
Swallowed in his recent spot
news announcements
The decision to ask Congress
for IS to 30 per cent increase
in the Public Health Service
appropriations for medical re-
search grants during the fiscal
year beginning next July / and
for legislation authorizing new
program Of Federal grants on
a matching basis to medical
schools and similar nonproflt re-
search institutions was not an
attempt to jump on the Ford
bandwagon, He men,
toned the general idea in sew
eral speeches during the last few
His aides say this idea was
"in the works" in the department
before the Ford Foundation ad-
vanced it's plan for some $500
in grants.
Requests Explained
They explain that the admin
istration's intended request to
Congress on the basis Of H. E. w.
suggestions emissions substan-
TALLY different approach than
that in the Ford Foundation.
They note that 1t emphasizes
greater Federal aid for private
medical research. construction Of
facilities and the
training of doctors and scien-
fists to do such fundamental
work.
This concept Of Federal help
for expanded basic research may
not have originated with Mr..
Folsom but it is close to his
heart and is tied in with prac-
tically all Of his adult career.
In the public mind. recently
at least, Mr.. Folsom is most
prominently catalogued as one
Of the founders of the social Sc
curity system. That apparently
was a major factor in causing
Eisenhower to appoint
him to succeed Mrs. Oveta Culp
Hobby as H. E. w. Secretary four
ago.
The department, with Its a.
600 employees and 50 billion
annual budget. still counts the
social security division as its far
thest-flung and financially big
gest undertakinga
Mr.. Folsom remarked this
week, however. that the social
security system is in pretty good
shape and no longer needs prime
emphasis in the department.
That. nevertheless. will not stop
him from strongly and expertly
presenting "our views" at SEN
ate Finance Committee hearings
early in 1856 on a social security
bill pushed through the
House last year without public
hearings.
No Stranger to Congress
In that and other connections.
Mr.. Folsom will be no stranger
at Senate or House hearings next
year. AS Treasury tax expert
he had great--and generally
unknown-part in obtaining the
1854 massive revision Of the In
ternal Revenue Code. He testi-
fed long and often before the
House Ways and Means Commit
tee and the Senate Finance
Committee on those voluminous
changes.
Previously. as a private citizen
he appeared before congressional
committees on tax, social secur-
ity. and other matters, including
proposals Of the Committee for
Economic Development of which
he was a founder and former
chairman. Moreover, he served
as staff director some years ago
Of a House special committee on
problems Of postwar recon-
version.
Even before that, while In
Rochester with the Eastman
Kodak Co. which he joined after
graduating with highest honors
from the University of Georgia
and the Harvard Business School,
he worked with--or politely
argued with--New York State
and Federal legislative commit
tees studying unemployment
compensation and old age pen
sion plans in the l930s.
His move to H. E. w. brings con-
siderable changes in tempo and
movement. But. according to his
associates, Mr.. Folsom follows
the same theme" that brought
him a sense Of contentment in
public service and happiness in
his professional and private life.
Respect for Research
The theme" has guided Mr..
Folsom since the early days