BY R. M. JOHNSTOX, I.S.O., F.S.S. 99 



These figures are of the greatest significance, from the 

 ethical and economic point of view, in the support they 

 give to the cause of old age pensions. It indicates clearly 

 that there is no economic or ethical claim so firmly based 

 upon justice and equity, for demanding some reasonable 

 share of the existing available consumable wealth of the 

 State. The economic debt claim alone, due by the eight 

 children to the one surviving parent who has become infirm 

 and helpless at the age of 65 years, is calculated actuarily 

 to amount to a capital sum of .£2,586, equivalent on the 

 average to a contribution of £323.6 per child. The average 

 after "life expectation" of a person aged 65 years may be 

 estimated on the basis of life assurance experience to be 

 llyears. It follows, therefore, on equitable grounds that 

 the surviving parent might fairly claim, if it were at all 

 practicable (i.e., if the eight children, now all breadwinners, 

 possessed sufficient means), an annuity or pension of £287.3 

 for the remainder of the parent's life, equivalent to a con- 

 tribution annually for 11 years of £35.9 per child. But 

 while the justice and equity of the claim of such a parent 

 is thus more than fully established from an ethical point of 

 view, it would altogether depend upon the financial means 

 of the eight members of his family whether such a claim 

 could possibly be satisfied or actualised in practice. The 

 world's experience hitherto is sufiicient to show that the 

 full claim — even of surviving aged parents who require 

 aid bv means of a pension or allowance — could not be 

 realised in practice for several reasons, the more important 

 of which are the followins: : — 



(1) Some aged persons 65 and over have few children 



or none. Some or all children of such aged 

 parents : — 



(2) Are too poor themselves to fulfil parental obliga- 



tions. 



(3) Are too selfish and unwilling to do so. 



(4) Die or disappear before the parent arrives at the 



old age limit of 65 years. 



(5) All persons 65 and over who are infirm and help- 



less, and who are not supported by living children 

 or friendly relatives, are now indirectly provided 

 for by non-relative breadwinners through the 

 medium of State taxation. 



The only way to overcome the obvious difficulties con- 

 nected with any scheme, whose object is the honourable 

 maintenance and support of all helpless and infirm bread- 



