Show WHAT WE THINK By Frank Dixon The President has asked Con Con- Congress Congress Congress gress to extend the coverage of the e Social Security to some twenty mil rail million lion people who are not covered under the present law and who re re- receive receive re- re receive no benefit from it At the thc same same time the President has asked that the Social Security tax be in in- increased increased creased from one to one and a half per cent For several reasons the Presidents President's Presidents President's Presidents President's dents dent's request is not going to re re- receive receive re- re receive much consideration from Con gress It comes at a time when Congress is already loaded with I legislation that it will not have time to clean up Also coming coining as it does just before election has re re- resulted resulted re- re suIted in a number of the Congress Congressmen men regarding the request with some suspicion and distrust Wile Wile- Whether Whether Wilether ther rightfully or not they attrib attrib- attribute attribute ute its presentation on the eve of an election as having a political apolitical significance The President believes that more people should be covered by the Social Security act and that pay pay- payments payments ments month should be increased The President contends that payments now are seriously inadequate In my opinion before there is any increase made in the levy to increase the payments being made to those y no now receiving rec iving Social Se Se- Security Security Security benefits 5 e steps should steps should be taken to include those not now covered While there is consider consider- considerable considerable considerable able complaint that those now re xe- receiving Social Security benefits are arc not getting enough what about the twenty million persons who are not covered by the act and who are get getting getting getting ting nothing at all in the way of benefits These twenty million persons as they reach retirement age will re xe- receive receive nothing at all from the gov gov- government government government not because they are not equally deserving with the others but merely because the original I law chose to cover but a part of the workers of or the country Included in those not now cover cover- covered ed jd by the law are farm fann workers household workers and the group known as common laborers small business men farmers and professional professional men I believe that when the scope of the act is extended farmers small business men and professional men should be permitted to participate in I in the benefits of the law by mak make making ing cash contributions to their So So- Social Social cial Security fund I would make this possible through Social Security I ity bonds that could be purchased at any bank or post office and by means of which the individual could build up his old age income to whatever amount he desired and I was able to pay for These bonds could be issued in small denominations and would be redeemable only in Social Security payments as are other contributions to this fund The advantage of of such a 3 plan would in In my opinion be consider consider- I able Nearly every one at some time in their lives is able to earn considerable consid rable money In a good i many instances because they have no systematic saving program most I of it slips through ugh their fingers and their earning power is gone and they have nothing saved up for their old age t t Under such a plan in a few years most Dost of those who reached the re re- re- re retirement tJ ement age would have enough laid by to take care of their needs ne ds instead of having to turn to public I charity |