Milford chronicle., 1957-05-17
OUR RELIEF PROBLEM


At time of prosperity such as this ma
tiOn has never before enjoyed, 5.5 million
Americans are on relief rolls. The bill for
this relief-3.1 billion dollars last year-is
at a record high.
The money goes to more than 100000
elderly people, to 100000 mothers with
100000 dependent children, and to the
blind, the disabled and others.
Why should relief costs be so high in boom
times, and why should the number of people
sharing in the payments reach peak after
peak? No single answer to such a question
can be complete. But it seems that the dom
inant factor is a revolutionary change in
the attitude of many Americans toward re
lief.
Not long ago. as time is measured, the
INDECENT old were cared for by children, or,
failing that, took refuge in the poorhouse.
Relatives came to the rescue when misfOr-
tune struck families Big-scale government
aid, as a principle and philosophy, was un-
known.
1t was not until 1885, with the great de-
preston in full swing, that the Federal gov
ernment embarked on program of direct
assistance to the needy, by providing funds
to the states on matching basis. The pro-
gram was regarded as temporary emer-
gency measure Once business started back
uphill and jobs became available, it was rea-
u,
would gradually end. The old age security
program, supported by tax of its own,
also was supposed to do much of the welfare
job. ~ m w I'd
The realization has been enormously diff
ferent from the expectation. Not only are
more people getting relief checks, but the
amounts are far higher-as much as 5000
month to an aged couple. Old regulations,
which denied relief to people owning vaiu-
Al Ia a1TfOc nd
homes, have generally been greatly liberal
lied or abandoned. Many Americans getting
public aid today are people of substance and
responsibility. There are states where re-
lief to the elderly is not called relief at all
it is given the much more attractive name
of pensions"
Some of the reasons advanced by sociolo-
gsts for the enormous growth of the welfare
program in a time of record or near-recOrd
employment, are wages, industrial activity,
etc. People are living longer and so require
more medical care. Initiation has bitten deep
into fixed incomes from savings and other
sources. Families are separated by great
distances, and the old, close family relation
ships of another era are disappearing. No
one seems to have any real solution to a
social and economic problem that grows
steadily more severe. But one thing can be
said with certainty at this time: Across the
nation, people are turning over their family
problems to the state Big relief rolls, it
now appears, are developing into a perma-
nent part of the American way of life.
QUIZ SHEET ON POLIO VACCINE
You have been urged to get polio vacci-
nations for your family. Naturally you want
to know the facts about it.
@: Is the Salk vaccine safe? Al Since the
spring of 1866, 81 million people have had
injections with an excellent safety record.
Before being approved by the u. S. Public
Health Service, it was given in field trials to
more than 100000 children. The American
Medical Association now has officially en-
dorsed it.
@: Is it effective? A Two shots, two to
six weeks apart, are 20 to 80 per cent eff
fective. A third or booster shot, seven
months after the second, provides effective
ness estimated at 80 per cent. After wide
spread inOculations among elementary
school children, polio cases in 1856 dropped
AZ per cent as compared to 1855 and SO per
cent is compared to the 1951-55 average.
@: How many have had it? A BY March
l, 1857, 81 million Americans had had at
least one shot; of these, q million had re-
ceived two shots; IL million the required
three shots. This means that only IL mil
lion polio-susceptble people (under 40 years
old) are properly protected for the 1857 po-
lilo season.
@. How many still need it? A: Some So
million Americans under 40.are without any
protection at all. Pre-school children (un-
der fve) need vaccination most. Teenagers
are next in urgency; then adults from 20
through 80. Polio cases among adults have
risen to 25 per cent of the total number.
Furthermore, when polio hits mother or a
wage-earner, disruption to family life is es-
pecially ruinous.
Roll up your sleeve and start your vacci-
nation series as soon as possible.