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Show I The Cache American, Inran, Caclie County, Utah a iff Two let's The American Farm Family Is Now Enjoying, the Feed Conservation Plan Carpenter Helps Hog Growers Solve Problems; Program Tailored by Coopera tive Business Men of Agriculture. C. D. By BAUKIIAGR A'rut Altai) t and CummrttUilor. WNU Service. ('ales Trust Building WskhlngUn, U. C. When I learned that a former feed man had been the movinf spirit In drawing up the present awlne pro gram which you'll be bearing about true it's profitable to make a patriotic herd. These experts decided that there was plenty of feed obtainable In America to meet the war goals, provided that certain conditions ere carried out. They agreed on four principles, all of which lead to making efficient producers which they all decided is both patriotic and profitable. These principles are: Released br Western Newp-p- f the movegrowing one ment in the country that is adding to the health and peace of mind of millions of Americans. Seven years ago there were fewer than 000,000 of those Americans. Today there are more than more than one-ten14,000,000 of our whole population and its likely that by the end of the year that number will have risen to 13,000,000. This movement is group unhospital insurance which, der the stimulation of wartime conditions, has become a $100,000,000 a year business. And, as the result of the Blue Cross Hospital Service plan, sponsored by the American Hospital association, Mr. John Q. Citizen, one of these 14,000,000, has the assurance that, should illness or accident make hospital care necessary for him or some member of his family, his pocket-boo- k will not be suddenly and devastatingly depleted. And the peace of mind which comes from the assurance of that fact has been purchased by John Q. at an average cost of less than five cents a day! THIS is the story aircraft lo-:a- para-roope- The U. S. army will need 75,000 to 100,000 men monthly to maintain its peak strength of 7,700,000 persons, according to the war department The navy will need 400,000 additional personnel by September 1 to get the navy, marine corps and coast guard up to peak strength of 3,500,000. Buy War Bonds D. C. and iculture, 3 about miUiot small businen men, e1 e profession- workers and domestic serv- al ants. The monetary price to the farmer for a comprehensive system of social insurance would be equal contribution rates foi employees and employers amount ing to 6 per cent on all wages up tt the first $3,000 a year, a 7 per cent contribution rate for persons, with provision for Government contributions to the system, presumably in 10 to 15 years, when current receipU become Insufficient to meet disbursements. Taxation, which cannot be determined now, would provide the Government contribution. Sis Is visited by Mother and Dad, Blue Cross hospital plan subscribers. operatives, creameries, and other farmer-busines- s asso- ciations. In the cities, workers who are buying hospital protection pay for It by payroll deduction. Farmers, who enroll through banks, authorize those institutions to make periodic deductions from their checking or savings accounts to pay the required fees. Where they enroll through creameries or cooperatives, periodic deductions are made from their cream or grain checks and those who enroll through the grange, farm bureau or farmers union pay their fees on a quarterly, semiannual or annual basis, mostly the latter two. How the Plan Works. Although there are 77 different group plans for hospital care and they differ from each other In some minor details, here Is the essential method of their operation: The hospitals in a certain region city, county or state guarantee hospital service to Blue Cross subscribers, whether they are members of groups in factories, city offices, educational institutions, clubs, union organizations or farm groups, who have agreed to pay a certain amount for this service at regular intervals. This amount varies somewhat according to the group plan. Membership costs from $7.20 to $10.20 a year tor one person and from $15 to $24 a year for the member and his family, including his wife and all unmarried children under the age of 18. In Minnesota, where the pioneering work in farm enrollment was done, there is a plan which offers a man complete coverage for himself apd 50 per cent discounts for his wife and children at $12 a year, plus $3 for each adult dependent. In return for these payments the insured, or member of his family, who has to go to a hospital gets a e room, his meals, general nursing, anesthetics, special diets, dressings, laboratory tests. and operating room charges. (This does not include, however, the physicians or surgeons fees.) He can enter any one of the countrys approved, registered hospitals, that is those hospitals recognized as meeting the standards of the American Medical association or state and local agencies. If for any reason one of these hospitals can't take him in because of lack of room, some of the plans pay back double the years premium, but many of them provide cash payments for home care equivalent to the amount that the hospital care would have been worth. However, there have been very few instances when a Blue Cross member couldn't get into a hospital becaue the number of these institutions which participate in the plan is 2,500 with 80 per cent of the bed capacity of all the hospitals in the United States open to the public. Reference has been made to the pioneering work done in Minnesota in rural enrollment in hospital plans. It began in 1938 under the auspices of the farm bureau in Hennepin county with 42 family contracts for a total service coverage of 90 persons. Since then farm bureau memberships in that state have increased to 6,200 contracts with 22,400 persons covered for hospital care. These, in 325 local units in 61 counties, have found the plan highly successful and satisfactory. There are 87 counties in the state and a total of 1,200 farm bureau units so that s of all the counties in Minnesota now have units enrolled in the Blue Cross and more than of the units are already h protecting themselves against sudden hospitalization costs. semi-privat- three-fourth- one-fourt- Protection of Americans and their C. Rufus Rorem, director of the families against the costs of hospital Hospital Service Plan commission, the activities and care was extended to more than which 13,000,000 persons in 1943, when approves the policies of 78 Blue Cross 2,600,000 additional participants in Plans located in 38 states and seven the United States and Canada Canadian provinces. elected to enroll in Blue Cross Plans. The proportion of family dependThis figure is exclusive of 750,000 ents enrolled has steadily increased, from 37 per cent in 1937 to the pressuspended contracts held by in the armed forces, who ent 54 per cent, thus indicating a may renew protection upon their re- growing desire by commercial, agricultural and industrial employers turn to civilian life. These facts are revealed by and employees to protect their wives rs - tcction against many of the hazards and discomforts of old age but foi which they would have to pay i price. Proposed amendments to the So dal Security act incorporated in th Wagner Murray Dingell Bill would bring benefits t some 12 mlli i people workuig it American agr- From Minnesota farm bureau sponsorship of prepaid hospital care has spread to other states notably Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Oklahoma, until now there are 15 In which farm bureau federation members may take advantage of Blue Cross plans through their unit groups. In December, 1942, the American Farm bureau at Its annual meeting In Chicago wrote into its nationwide program of work a strong indorsement ot the nonprofit group hospital care plans and other rural health developments that lend themselves to farm family unit action. However, the farm bureau is not the only agency through which the hospital plan is being carried to the farms of the nation. In Hillsdale county, Mich., the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance company, a cooperative, was used as the group through which to put the hospital plan into operation. In northern Illinois, the Northern Illinois Hospital service, serving 11 counties and their small towns, ranging in population from 300 to 1,500, have worked In with Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions clubs, with womens clubs, PTAs, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and borne farm bureaus, churches, bureaus And granges. As a result in these 11 counties more than 4,500 farm families, representing 13,500 individuals are Blue Cross members. Combined Business Groups. In North Carolina a great many of the small groilps in the small towns are enrolled as combined business groups. This type of enrollment means combining many small businesses into a group, getting 75 per cent or more of the employes in these various small concerns to become members of the Blue Cross. In some of these combined groups, as many as 800 persons join. These groups consist of drug stores, grocery stores, warehouses etc. The FSA has also been active in cooperating with the Blue Cross plans in North Carolina and other states in bringing prepaid hospital care to low income families. Indicative of the way in which small town and rural America is enlisting under the Blue Cross banner are these facts taken at random from many examples. In one Iowa town of 592 population, 445 or 75 per cent have enrolled in a hospital care plan and in another town of 4,405, a total of 2,214 or 50 per cent have joined. In one Wisconsin community the local power company acts as collector and remitting agent and the people of the community who have enrolled pay for this insurance along with their monthly electric bills. This town has a population of 1,000 and out of a possible 450 persons employed in the town, 155 have enrolled, there being 105 family contracts and 41 individual contracts. Such instances could be multiplied indefinitely. From all of which it is evident that rural America is indeed "shrewd buyers and quick to take to something once its value has been proved. As for proving its value, ask the Blue Cross member In New York state who was recently hospitalized for 53 days. His contract covered him for 23 days of one contract year and 28 days of the new year, a total of 51 days. His total hospital bill was $300.55! When he was ready to be discharged from the hospital, he was handed a hospital service credit of $288.30. That meant he had to pay in cash to the hospital only $12.25. Its a thrill that comes once in a lifetime, he said. And then, quite naturally, he added, I think hospital service is a great idea. already-establish- Membership Grows From 500,000 to 14 Million in Seven Years stranded airmen but cannot get o them, a trained pigeon is dropped n a metal waterproof container Itched to a small parachute. The r tranded men then send the bird back with a message of heir needs and condition, according a the Canadian information bulletin, Feekly Editor Looks at Ottawa. Corrnpodt Farmers throughout tho land to day are being asked to give thought ful consideration to a proposal that if adopted, would spell better healtt for them and their families, and pro th . Slot WASHINGTON, Union. non-prof- it When RCAF searching VVNU of low-inco- . . . by Baukhage By BARROW LYONS By ELMO SCOTT WATSON ahortly, 1 recalled an adage I once beard in London: The profit In the mustard business Is in the mustard you leave on your plate." That was the statement once Specific Measures made by a famous British mustard (1) better breeding to Improve the manufacturer. In other words, the size and quality of litters consumer's waste Is the producer's (2) conservation of available feed etock gain. 3) reduction of loss through disThe proposition seems logical enough and nobody could blame the ease and parasites mustard-make- r for hoping that you 4) Improved management for and I would be as profligate with greater efficiency and production. our condiment as possible. On Uiat More specifically, the five things basis, I was recently surprised to necessary to produce the feed which learn that the government had is necessary to reach, the animal called In a man In the feed buslnesi food stuff goals are these: and paid him a dollar a year to help (1) to feed no more than 14 pounds solve the feed problem, I wondered of feedstuff for one animal unit If It wasn't Just possible that maybe (2) to achieve the maximum use the consumer was going to suffer. of pasture and grazing land (3) to sell the animal for meat, I had a talk with some members before it becomes an inefficient conof the department of agrleultura after I learned that this gentleman verter of feed Into food (4) to stop the loss caused by rats bad done so much for the poultry raisers that they picked him to help or spoilage or wastage in other ways (5) to bring about a higher standHowever, the eignifleant fact on the swine program which Is as about this story for readers of this closely connected with the feed ard In health in animals. newspaper is that the group hosproblem as the fly li with the fly- True Cooperation pital service plan has spread to the paper. Those who are directly concerned rural areas of the nation and Is man a "Why should you pick of swine are about rapidly becoming as common as it in the whose Interest It Is to have the to haveproduction the information that this has been in metropolitan centers. Of as feed much as consume farmer meeting developed placed before course. It has always been true that possible, when there Isn't enough them emphatically In the farm trade farmers and members of their famifeed te ge around now?" I asked. papers, over the radio, in lectures, lies get sick or have accidents Just the gov- from the county agents, and through "This whole program, workers. The same Is as do ernment official told me, ia worked their own organizations, so I won't true offactory of business firms employees out by the swine Industry itself; the go Into it in detail. But the point in and small towns. In villages men who produce the hogs, the men that many will not realize is thal fact, both classes need help end who process them, help feed them, here has been a real achievement often are less able to pay hospital distribute them. That'e the point brought about by the cooperation ot bills than are the middle class or The government merely cooperate. industry and government groups in the big cities. You had better talk to Mr. Car These hardhearded businessmen So there was quite as much reason penter. have produced a program which for their having the benefit of low-co- st I did. their action committee is going to do planned and prepaid" hospital its best to put into effect through the care as for their city cousins having Dollar a Year Clifford D. Carpenter carrlee the various means of publicity and edu- it The principal reason why they title of special assistant to the chief cation which I mentioned. It was didn't get it sooner lay in certain of the feed and livestock branch of unanimously agreed that the pro- factors which are the very heart the food production administration ducers should plan to finish hogs at of the planned hospital care idea. Of 200 to 240 pounds in order to make those factors the word group" is of the War Food administration, For that long title, he gets the short more efficient use of the feed and the key. First of all, enrollment of memfee of a dollar a year. He has no for the production of more meat in such a plan has to be through bers feed. servant. less of and unit lard a to remain Thej per desire public also emphasize the need of taking groups and these groups have to be He wants to get back to his business. But he Is enthusiastic over the full advantage of clean pastures anc large enough so that, as in any inpresent swine program which he they point out that the saving ot surance of this one type, their memand his colleagues of the industry from 5 per cent to 10 per cent o) bers are good risks. With the popuhave worked out, a part of which is the grain, and from 30 per cent ti lation so scattered in rural areas, it the conservation, not the waste, of 40 per cent of the protein supple seemed that it would be almost imments can thus be made for growpossible either to enroll people or feed. to make collections from them. It arc and There fattening hogs. I asked why, when his business ing would be so was to sell the farmer as much feed recommendations for the control ol seemed also that groups so each subfew small and that and various othei diseases, parasites ae he could? would an "indiin be effect scriber detailed instructions are that Because," he said, "the success to be available in attractive goinf vidual" subscriber, hence a hazardprinteo of the feed business lies in having form and distributed to the hog pro ous risk. Then, too, it was believed efficient customers, not careless ducers in all that the people of rural America, of the country. parts we wasters. One of the ways farmers, are such indiespecially is who And Sam it Uncle isnt helped to increase the poultry outand vidualists independent thinkers telling em. put was to teach the farmer to stop could not be enrolled in that they for each other are telling They waste. For instance, you have no hospitalization groups large enough each others benefit Idea how much was saved by havto be on the ing the farmer put a rim Comes the Blue Cross. edge of his feed troughs so the Manpower Needs For these, and other, reasons the as almost not would chicks spill While everybody is talking about earliest plans for hospital care much as they ate, and what saved demobilization, it seems strange were concentrated in the big cities even more than that was something that mobilization in many fields is where large industries, whose emto we the farmer much simpler got still far from being complete. There ployees were numbered by the thouthree-fourtfill the feed receptacles are crying needs for man and worn sands, offered the best opportunity full Instead of brimming. an power in two phases of the war for handling such insurance on a He went on at some length on effort causing serious trouble. group basis. Then came the organithis subject, especially emphasizing The National Advisory Committee zation of the Hospital Service Plan that the interests of the consumer for Aeronautics, which is the federal commission of the American Hospiand the producer are the same in experimental and sci- tal association to sponsor the Blue the end and each profits by the governments entific research organization, needs Cross movement. Blue Cross is others efficiency that, he pointed 1,500 men. Without this comple- a general term which identifies the out, is the benefit derived from busiment, the NACA director of per- 77 group plans for hospital care ness in government, one of the good sonnel says the development and which meet the standards of comresults which many persons feel will production of new and improved munity service, professional sponcome by having businessmen in the aircraft is sorship, organization and being hampered. many government agencies. The need is localized in labora- financial solvency and which have Profitable Patriotism tories at Langley Field, Va., Moffett been approved by the American HosThe whole swine program has Field, Calif., and Cleveland, Ohio. pital association. Not only did the Blue Cross movebeen tailored by the businessmen" Engineers, physicists, chemists, maof the swine industry and that in- chinists, toolmakers, sheet metal ment expand the planned hospital cludes the farmer who raises the workers, instrument makers, engine care idea in the cities but it was electricians, hogs, for he is a businessman, too mechanics, pattern chiefly responsible for its "moving has te be if he succeeds. makers and other skilled tradesmen out into the country. It spread to the smaller cities and towns first and Last month, in Chicago, a group are needed. out to the farms. Its true that of these men got together, repreAt the same time, the National then are independent thinkers farmers sentatives of hog farmers, the breed- Womens Advisory committee of the but, as one of the pioneer workers ers, the veterinarians, the packers, War Manpower commission reports in the rural field has stated, they the feed men, the equipment manu- that the womens corps of the variare also shrewd buyers and are facturers everybody interested in ous armed services are falling far the whole cycle from the shoats short of their enlistment quotas and quick to take to something once its So now value has been proved. first squeal to the dining table. many thousands of women also are farmers are enrolled being through Its patriotic to make your herd needed in areas of labor shortage. banks, with which do business they is was women's the committee this The urging profitable slogan and which are willing to cooperate, group worked out which was a sen- organizations throughout the country tence with a two-wa- y kick you can to undertake the recruitment Job as through their farm bureaus, their granges, their farmers unions, co- turn it around and it is Just as a mpjor war effort. BRIEFS Social Security Plan For Farmers Calls for Careful Consideration Conveniences and Benefits of Prepaid Hospifal Care Through Blue Cross Hospifal Service Plans Swine Industry Develops Face Facts and children, as well as themselves. ed Farm Groups Accept The intangible price would be the extension of a system which made the central government still more responsible for the welfare of individuals, and placed state governments in a position where Federal suthorities might examine their administration of social security funds, and withhold funds if abuses were discovered. Some acceptance of the program, already has been gained from leading farm organizations. Last November, Albert S. Goss, National Mas-- xt of the Grange, told members in annual session at Grand Rapids, Mich., that lack of social security zoverage for farming is one of the handicaps in holding good worker Ml the farm. For the last two years the Na. ilonal Farmers union has supported extension of social security to the arm. At its 1942 convention in Oklahoma City a resolution was adopted which called for medical care in e iddition to benefits under ind survivors insurance. Last fall ihe state conventions of the Farm-;r- s union in Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas ind Oklahoma adopted resolutions ,'avoring the principles of the old-ag- Bill. The American farm bureau fed-ratio- ns general counsel, Donald Kirkpatrick, is studying the question f endorsement of coverage of 'armers and farm labor. At present there is no general program in effect to meet the risks of llness, accident, disability, old age ind premature death for America's million farm operators. The proportion of them who carry comparable private insurance is small, there are few indeed among the O 4 Mi million paid farm workers, ind Vi to 2 million family help-:r- s, who are adequately covered by private insurance. For the most part, when the principal breadwin-le- r of a farm family is stricken by ong illness, old age or death, the lamily has only its own resources a command, and too often these are nadequate. Unlike his grandfather, the farmer of today operates with all of the isks which go with commercialized ind mechanized farming. His land zalues are much higher and fluctuate more than they did 50 years igo. He must sell a great deal more produce to cover his operating costs, ind he is subject to much greater price and market hazards than his lioneering forefathers. 1 varm Health Declines There is another phase of country ife that comparatively few people ealize. Surveys of the health of fcrm families show that their health s not as good as that of city fami-ie- s. Farm children suffer from preventable and correctible defects of eeth, sight and hearing more than city children. Farm vomen have twice as many children is city women, and the highest leath rates in maternity cases are ound in farming areas. Farmer se-- , ectees for the armed services have een rejected because of physical lefects in considerably larger than city men. One bit of evidence: data on service draftees between 18 ind 19 years of age show the high-i- st rate of rejections for farmers it 41.1 per cent, the lowest for craftsmen at 20.4 per cent. Proposed legislation calls for a rederal system of medical and insurance for all persons :overed under e rs and insurance and for their defendants. The Surgeon General of he United States would administer he technical and professional aspects of the program and the Social ecurity board, the financial phases. fre-tuen- pro-wrtio- ns ve old-ag- sur-dvo- |