Ke Alakai o Hawaii, Volume IX, Number 29, 27 October 1936 — Winant Attacks Landon [ARTICLE]

Winant Attacks Landon

{Conthi«ed from Page 1)

ihe Soeial Security Board, should take an active part in politics and moreover, I was appointed and confirmed as the mihority member. While I retain this position I am not free to defertd the Act. Therefore, I am tendering you my resignation as a member of the Social Security Board. "No work I have ever undertaken seemetl more worthwh!le to me than my brief servlce on the Social Securlty Board. May I thaitk you for the opportunity oi ihis service au*3 join you in defendmg it." "Sincerely, John G. Winant" Security Great Need There |s, on this oeeaaion, little to be added to this letter. It is surely one of the great tasks of government to bring a measure of security to the lives of a people. A venture too long delayed was gotten under. way in the Social Security Act, It was a first~not a lastT-step in protecting the people against- the major hazards of existence intensified by the swift march of events in an industrial culture, ;|t left mueh to be desired; bul it made, a promising beginning in the protection of maternity

and c!ißdhood, in g«arding against the grosser hazards of unemployment, and in making a minimum provision for old age. The attainment of security was a constr«etive task for a people; in comparison sectional ties, industrial interest, and party loyalty are minor matters. Until last Saturday I had hoped that the attainment of social security would be held high above politics. I had hoped, too, that we might as Americans— and not as RepubHcans or as ©emocrats—p«t the program into effect, discover and amend its shortcomings, and go forward towards 'a larger measnre of se«iirity for the whole of the American people. There had, thus far been no obtrusion of party politics into the consideralion of the Act. The eall to retreat is written large in the whole tissue of the Republican position. Tiie candidate protests agaīnst the federal governrhent. in its administration of the Act, prving into the private affairs of indivlduals. Yet in social sccurity the Government does 6nly what it. does in other fields of taxation; it seeks only the minimum of information on a mān's ineome essential to the admihistratton of the Ad, sincc bencfits arc on thrlft and stcadiiicss of cmployment n:caA:red by a niaiVs total earnings. And the cundidate ignores tlie usual niethods whieh attend his own proiposal of dependcncy rclicf with iis meanst test. Landon Forsets Tiie Republiean candidaW insists that the Social Security Act imposes compulsovy savLi\gs upou thc woiking-man. The candidate forgei-$ the j(reatef eompuhion to savings whleh eame from tlie fear of "the laek of a job and fi\nu ttic r<.ar of old age. lt might jpeMer bc said that the Act i«cogtu2es unemployment and ol| as incident to Uie condu?J of industry; and like for industrial ae- \ i i i

eident turns the cost into a necessary expense of producticn to be assessed against the product. The Social Security Act enables every person it covers — whatever his circumstances—to make at a small expense to himself a more ample provision against the eommon hazards of Individual private savings ean never eope with the problem or setjurity. During the depression millions of working men found their private savings against industrial hazards lost—or withheld—at the very moment when the need was greatest. In a sojciety in whieh unemployment, i hās not yet been brought- under' Control and old age is inevitable, the Social Security Act—as a real beginning—enables working men and women by acting together to meet hazards whieh would overwhelm them if faced alone. In his speech on SociaT Secrur- j ity the Republican candidate 1 discussed the system of Federal Old Age Benefits and the provisions of the Socfal Security Act with respect to TJnemployment Compensation. Discussing tbe program of 01d Age Benefits the candidate commented adverseīv upon the maintenance of the reserve funds in the obligations of the Federal Government. Th#> Govemment bonds in whieh the reserve funds will be inve ted will have the backing of Uie entire weailh of ihe Nation, just as do all Govermnent oonas. In other words, the reserve fund as expressed in Government securities, will be just as secure, just as productive, and }ust as usable for this purpose as are the funds whieh our banks and other great flnancial institutions invest in Government securities t-oday. Social Security funds investeci in these bonds are sound because backed by the taxing power of the Federal Govemment. It might also be noted that there is no xndication that during the next five years tlie reserve will reach iour killion doilars. Before that time we shall have developed the system sufficiently to peimit Judgments based on greater knowledge and experienee. Again the Republican candidate says: * f I do see hōw auyone ean beUeve Uiat Uie average man making $100 a moiUh siiould be eouipellea to save 3\v o£ his wages, Certanily iie is not iii a position to save 6% of liis Our ayerage wages iu tlie United States run just about §100 a uioiilh, So when Oie c*ndidate feels Ihal the avuian will be miable io save si»eh perventa&es he Ihe e*pa£ity for thrift of the avera£e cit»*en. A glance at the rate bd«ks oi the str«ux£ iusuxance eomp&nie* that onlj ihe verj c«*i make anj satisi*A>Uiry prov isiou fyr old \vith s«i»U jn provi>l ui as ol ineome* yndei Uie Sovial Sccuxity Act tfcc hithcst Uu. ratc to bc paid bj |hc emploj ec is 37*, and this ratc is )uot pajable uniil 1919. Under U:c Republican propo&.il all must but tlie iny>rovident cliieflj- will benefit; and the great-er il\e degxxe of iaipiwidence, Uie larger t.he henelil. Thus is tlirift discaur>tged, famili* respo:uibilities broken down* real securuy lessened. *Iu every country ūi ;hc has

been made by substitutiog thrif savings and insurance for the dole, the pauper's oath and relief. Surely we Vtill never create soeial security by encouraging individual insecurity. The Social Socurity Act recognizes the tem-j porary necessity for measures of the sort whieh the RepubUcan candidate calted "the foundation of a real old age pension plan." But the dangers o' depending soieiy upon alueh were recogiii2ed and vqrreet.ive steps taken in the estftblishment of federal old-age benefits. Laadon May Be Mi^ied The Republican candidat-e also cnticises the proyisions the Sociai Security Act respect to unemployment compensat!on, Ke wisiics to use Uie sutes as iaUorai-or.es iu \vliich to woxk oui Uie p:ablenis hivolYe<J ia Uiis ol icgislation, EiUier the uouuuee iw: read Uve So<iiai or his advisers li&ve. nusied hnu as k» iU esseutiai pxo\isions 011 subjecu Ihe Soc.i»u Sccuriti Act aiproudcs i'o;- Uie very iliiliii - oppouuiuty for expei'iaieiiiiiuon wiueh the Kepub-1 lieuii uswuiucc sai;s he v.aiit-s> of | Uie Uuiie e i; uneuiployment cuuipe;isu;Un: ia\\s ahead\ in efieei, tv.ci\c aie ,of Uie pooied fuud aue jresei-\e, tipes, TJuder soaae of ihese st-ate uneinploynient laws» eontribuUons arc by einp!oyers onli', iu other cases XK>th and entployers eontribute. of thc ia\vs eonUūn merit raLiig provisions, some do uou Souic co\cr siiigle eiupio\ - othcrs to lour or cight e}Ui.ūjye<?s v£ & siiigk oiu-

ployer. The \vaiuns penods and the. siyze of benefits m&i' vary hi accordance. % ith the desires of the sfcate iegisiatures. In short» here we have uuder the Social Seeurity Act already funcUoxiiii£ the very especi- . mental staie laboratorj method whieh the Kepubiicau nomiuee advocates. Moreover, the Social Security Act docs not permit the industriaiist operatiAi wiihin a state that h'as adopted approvcd uacmpiojmcnt conipensation leto fee placcd at a disādvaoitase in selU.nj his £oods in a. WMnm<«i marfe.et <m 4 coat ba.->is as a£»īnst a manttfacturins eompeUtor who is in a state whieh has not adopted ap~ proved unemplovment s»tlon legislatlon. The obligaUon io care for the unfortunate has alwsvys heen aniong the great ends of puhlie policy. An &grkml:ural naUon has bo<?r. iiurvU\.i !u:o Uvdusnalien; ar. tvonvnruc si§- , tem. not yet ?iiuj under has ereated new liasards t the ago eompoaUon of the Anierkan peopie changed; the course oi human eveut« hurrks us through a new pro§perity—aai& po&sibly ano;>.ei' dein*eNjion-~iu-to ah unknown f;:ture. _ ' Hazards to kle, iibexti% aad - prytpexty siduk our iaiid. A depeiideut c;iiidi;ood, \uieaipioyiuent aad old age are eommoii euemies aiauist whoui uaUon shouid preseut a unlte4 , frouts Aji advauce has —- aud uo iu&u li&s a nght to eaH 'liall." \\C 3iUSt &S & nat:}^ ' aud ui ihe Aiueiie&u spirtt seice Uie occASiou to Uie ' b*essiugs of securi'4 tc oiirselvtta • aud our iKss'v£r;u .