Evening star., 1960-04-03
By ROBERT X. WALSH
star STAG Writer


star staf Writer
Since the Townsend plan first
swept the country in the 1930s
no similar controversy has
matched the present election year
preSsures for raising taxes to in
sure citizens against the cost of
sickness in old age.
There are vast differences be-
tween the "pie-in-the-sky" de-
pression-era scheme Of DR.. Fran
els E. Townsend and the program
that would be built into the So
cial Security System by Q House
bill of Representative Aime ].
Forand, Democrat Of Rhode
Island.
But there are fringe similar
tiles. The basic question of COM
pulsory health insurance seems
well on the way to becoming a
major issue in the presidential
and congressional campaigns. 1t
could be bigger than the political
power welded by Townsend plan
supporters in California and other
States q quarter of century ago.
The Forand bill is no overnight
or fly-by-night development. Mr..
Forand, second ranking Democrat
on the House Ways and Means
Committee, introduced the pend
ing bill two years ago. Extensive
open hearings were held last year.
For 10 years he has advocated
Federal legislation for old age
health insurance. Moreover, as
long ago as the Murray-Wagner-
Dingell bill of the late 1940s Con-
gress has received-but generally
given comparatively little time to
numerous proposals along that
line.
1t is by no means coincidence,
however, that the issue in general
and the Forand bill in particular
now attract sudden widespread
public attention in an election
year. This undoubtedly accounts
also for the more intense charges
and counter charges in and out Of
Congress.
They Act in Election Years
The record indicates a congress
sional habit of adding to social
security coverage, benefits or rates
in recent election years. In this
1860 election year both political
parties are acutely aware of old
or young constituents, organiza-
tions and lobbyists who demand
that Congress approve-or defeat
- another increase in the tax
rate and another section provid-
ing for health insurance.
The bill currently is blocked in
the Ways and Means Committee
because of a 1913 vote last week
against considering it along with
several less controversial amend
ments to the Social Security Act.
Mr.. Forand, who will be IS on
May %, may try to force it
to the House floor by a discharge
petition requiring signatures Of
at least 219 of the 437 House
membership.
Even if it never reaches the
House or dies in the Senate, or
if it eventually were vetoed by
the President, it would keep the
fight going long after Congress
adjourns this year.
The bill may never get out of
committee. The White House may
or may not recommend a specific
alternate based on voluntary insur-
ance arrangements with a degree
of Federal financial grants. But the
fight seems sure to go on into the
national political conventions and
the election campaigns.
Even apart from inevitable po-
litical considerations, the funda-
mental problem has economic, So
cial and fiscal aspects of supreme
Importance. 1t is a struggle over
compulsory or stepped-up volun-
tary methods of coping with an
admittedly essential need to help
aged persons meet the increasing
expenses of illness. 1t requires a
decision - unfortunately in an
election year-on just how far the
Federal Government can and
should go in providing, subsidizing
or cooperating in such help.