Salt Lake Telegram | 1939-02-17 | Page 2 | $200 Won't be Pension Ceiling, Townsend Says

$200 Won't Be Pension Ceiling, Townsend Says WASHINGTON. Fb. IT (AP) Dr. T. E. Townsend told mem-ben mem-ben of the houM way and mean committee today they don't know what they are talking about II they consider $200 month ceiling for old age penalona "absurdly high The tall, gaunt physician, sponsor of ths peneton progress which bears I his name, shook a long finger at the committee. "No family eaa live en S100 a month and tear and educate its children properly he said. "If we can't establish a standard of living higher than $40, certainly we can't maintain our type of governmtnt much longer." Townsend. whose lsst appearancs before a congressional committee led to an unserved Jail sentsncs. was testifying at hearings on amendmenta to the social security act and on proposed substituts pension pen-sion programs. Townsend described the social security se-curity act as "the height of absurdity absurd-ity of any bill ever passed by congress." con-gress." He asserted that $300 a month was only enough to provide a decent de-cent standard of living now. "I believe that every five years, ones we take the shackles off technical tech-nical knowledge and genius." the doctor asserted, "we shall havs to resurvey and raise the standard. Ths 1300 a month won't stay there long. We'll go to $300. "And, as we establish this standard stand-ard of living, labor will demand It and get It." The Townsend plan contemplates paying monthly benefits up to $200 monthly from proceed of a 1 per cent transactions tax.