President Roosevelt's Social Services The particulars of President Roosevelt's programme
of social security have now been sent to Congress, and embodied in a Bill which has been introduced by Senator Wagner. They include unemployment compensation, old-age benefits, and Federal grants to States for de- pendent childreir, mothers' pensions and public health services. Old-age pensions will not be a direct payment from the central Government as in Britain, but will be on an insurance basis. Health insurance has not yet been adopted, but is the subject of inquiry. All the new services, except old-age pensions, will be managed by the States, but in accordance with standards established by the Federal Government. The whole tendency, it will be noted, is to strengthen the controlling hand of the central administration. Though it will be necessary for each of the 48 State legislatures to give its assent to the provisions that affect them, the terms of the Bill are framed to make it difficult for them to withhold it. For example, a tax is to be levied on pay-rolls, 90 per cent of which will be remitted in States which adopt the provisions for compulsory unemployment contributions. -
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