In a series of letters which are appearing in the
Daily Chronicle on the subject of old-age pensions is one—in the issue of Thursday—from Mr. Edwin Ransom dealing with the Spectator's plan for old-age pensions. His most important statement has to do with the help which our plan would afford the friendly societies. " The Spectator scheme," he says, "with its finality, should give enormous impetus to the desires, lately ripening into effort, of the Orders to provide for their old members. The Oddfellows are pouring out their funds in the form of old-age pay, which the rules never contracted for. Senility, indistinguishable from real ail- ment, is getting other great societies in its grip." If the Government, he continues, would take "the fringe of uncertainty " off those organisations which desire to help old age it would help thrift to a far greater extent " than would any bonus or percentage to the members and past members of the friendly societies, and at far less cost to the State." As we have said before, it is quite possible that it would be wisest to let old-age pensions alone altogether ; but if any- thing is to be done, we are convinced that our plan of giving the pension at seventy-five would do least harm to individual thrift, and would help the great societies without bringing them under Government interference and control.
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