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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1954)
TWO MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE Tuesday, Deembr 21, 1934 Bncreases in Social Security Pay Slated To Start After Jan. 1 (Editor's note: Social security cov erage will be extended to millions of Americans under new laws ef fective Jan. 1. In addition in creased benefits are in store for those who retire after Jan. 1. This Is the - second of two stories on the new social security laws.) Br rex chaney United Press Correspondent Washington (U.R) Social security benefit increases rang ing from $5 to $35.30 a month are in store for workers who retire after the new" social se curity law becomes fully effect ive Jan. 1. There will be tax increases on some, too, to help pay for the higher benefits. Beginning with the new year, the two per cent social security tax will be levied against the first $4,200 of an employee's annual pay compared to a tax against ths first $3600 under the old law. The effect of this on workers who earn $4,200 or more a year is that the social security tax on an annual basis will be $84 in 1955, compared to $72 in 1954. The matching amount paid by employers directly to the gov ernment will go up correspond ingly. Coverage Extended .. The tax and benefit increases are part of the new law enacted by- the last Congress. Besides boosting benefits, the. new law extends coverage, to some 10,- 000,000 additional persons, in cluding farmers, many farm and household workers, architects, accountants, engineers, many state and local government em ployes, and clergymen. Persons whe become, totally disabled are given special con sideration under the new law. And it is now possible for a re tired worker between 65 and 72 to earn as much as $1200 a year 15 N. CENTRAL PH. 2-2970 without sacrificing any social security benefit rights. Under the old law the maximum earn ings permitted was $75 a month, or $900 a year. Persons covered by social se curity who already have reached the retirement age of 65 started receiving their benefit increases in checks mailed about Oct. 1. These increases ranged from a minimum of $5 to a maximum of $20.30 for a retired worker who had been drawing a benefit check of $127.50 for himself and his .wife. Higher Payments ' Persons retiring in the future will fare even better. Those who retire after paying in at the $4,200 annual. base for the next 18 months until July 1, 1956 will get the maximum increases. The top payment for a retired worker and his wife will jump from $127.50 to $162.80. The too payment for a surviving widow with at least two children will go up from $162.75 to $200. These benefit increases , are based on three actual changes in the old law. Changes In Law - 'The first was hiking the tax base from $3,600 to $4,200. The second was a new "drop out" provision. Under this pro vision, a worker can forget about his four years of lowest earnings, which might pull his overall average down. Thus, it becomes easier to qualify for higher bene fit 'payments. The third change which con tributed to an increase in bene fits was in the basic formula. Under the old law, a worker used as a basis of computation 55 per cent of the first $100 of the average monthly wage, plus 15 per cent of the remainder up to $200. - Under the new law, the bene fit is figured by taking 55 per cent of the first $110 of average monthly earnings and adding 20 per - cent of 'the next $240 of average earnings. Federal Aid Set For Slum Clearance Washington (U.R) The ad ministration, launching a sharp ly curtailed public housing pro gram, has offered federal aid to cities planning slum clear ance on redevelopment projects. Housing Administrator Al bert Cole notified mayors of such cities that the government can help rehouse families forc ed to move when slums are torn down. But he said there are strict limitations on such aid. Meanwhile, Rep. Edward A. Garmatz ; (D-MD) announced he will ask the new Congress to enact legislation re-establishing the original 1949 housing pro gram under which the govern ment would build 810,000 public housing units over six years. Multnomah Police Nab Burglary Suspect Portland W (U.R) Multnomah County police captured a 21-year-old burglary suspect after a wild auto chase early Monday, but the man's two companions escaped. Held in the county jail for breaking and entering was Ger ry Lavell, Portland. Lavell, who is on three years probation for burglary, is charged with steal ing some $491 in loot from a food market outside the Portland city limits. Lavell was captured after county police, making a routine check of the store, flushed the burglars. The three men fled in a car with their loot, but the gar failed to make a turn and crashed into a plowed field. Lavell tripped and fell and was apprehended. His two com panions outran the officers. The men entered the market by cutting a hole in the roof. The loot included two deep-fat cookers, a portable radio, wrist watches and beer, but no money. WEATHER By United Press Northern California: Fair ex cept fog and local drizzle in Cen cloudiness extreme north. T.-ijtiiiffjgiirfrTinnTTnr',,1"M"' ' "i m '" I '-X " - " - , ' ' - u$ 'Is'. ' immmw m. i aniuwM.mLiiiM ' ""If. : y ' C v; -v -; Z 'i V j ? " - ; 3 ' ; MONSTERS OF THE SEA The luxury liner, SS United States (background) moves past the newly-christened USS Forrestal at Newport News, Va. The big passenger ship is being moved to drydock for its yearly overhaul, and final touches are being put on the Forrestal, including moving of its superstructure. Once-Famous Opera Singer Recalls Good Old Times Madrid (U.R) From riches and fame to rags and oblivion is the story of Ramonita, a mezzo soprano who once shared i the limelight with Enrico Caruso. But this happened so long ago that time has effaced her past glories and dulled her memories. The young Spanish girl .who at the turn of the century com manded fees of over 1,000 pesetas gold for one night's per formance today is a partially blind woman of 74 who sells lottery tickets for the blind on a street corner barely a stone's throw from the Royal Opera House where 40 years ago she had been applauded, by Alphonse Inrnl jwas the night and all through the bank, were asking just whom before Christmas, ine tellers pleasure ml they should thank, fort making their year I, - jrjjfjg one of greeting each man and joy, while meeting and girl or boy. lien out in the lobby, loan officers. came and typists question 9 and clerks PJ1 : , their the same. From offices, vaults, and from (jgogff 1 compartment... guards ... bookkeepers, uKflg trust department and the the managers gn sixty-nine branches t ' " icnew, tnat tney naa a messagengL to carry 9 S to you. And so they all sang loud and clear, . . . and a Happy Ii4f in tones G vrMerry Christmas to all New Year!" I Or, to put It another way, th peo ple of the 69 statewide banking offices of The First National Bank of Portland wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year 1 MZDFORD BRANCH urs tuao cxegoh togcthes NNW MUUMCi COUOWMN t XIII, then boy-king of Spain. ' Shared with Caruso In the golden days, Ramonita sang mezzo-soprano roles in "Aida,". "Lohengrin," "Rigolet to" and "Carmen" in Milan, Rome, Warsaw, Odessa and St. Petersburg. But what she remembers most vividly is sharing the public's applause in Milan's Teatro Lirico with an up-and-coming Italian named Enrico Caruso. "That was in the 1880's or 1890's, but I can't be sure of any dates it has all been so long ago," she said. "Caruso was be ginning his career then. I was in 'Rigoletto' with him for just one performance. That was because the mezzo-soprano billed with Caruso was suddenly taken ill, and I was called in to take her place." She wistfully recalled the high life of pre-revolutionary Russia: '"How much gold there was in Russia . . . how many rubles . . . what beautifully attired women! Everybody, it seemed, spoke French, and St. Petersburg was more fancy than Rome or Milan, though perhaps not so much as Paris." Begins in 19th Century . The story of Maria Ramona Galan begins in the latter part of the 19th century when, at the ago of 14 and at her father's in sistence, , she commenced to study voice , in Madrid. Her voice coach was an Italian bari tone named Battistini. "Somehow, I remember him quite well," she said. "He was a big man with a fine powerful voice. From Madrid, she traveled to Milan for an audition and was booked by agents of the Teatro Contanzi in Rome. T lived in Milan for 20 years," she continued. "Milan, you un derstand, was the mecca of opera singers.";- The last time Ramonita ap peared in the Madrid Royal Theater was in 1926, the year the theater closed. It has re mained closed ever since. The civil war wiped out her savings. The Republican government in 1936 impounded all savings ac counts with banks to help finance the war. Years of Sickness Then came, long years of sick ness. She was forced to go on relief. Eight years ago she under went an operation for cataracts. The operation was only partially successful and she was admitted into O.N.C.E., a self-supporting government relief organization for the blind. Today Ramonita lives alone and forgotten in a small unheated room on Calle Independencia, barely 100 yards from the Opera House, still nursing dreams for the future. : ... r "I'd like to start my own little business," she said. "I'd like a kiosk where I could keep warm in the winter and sell papers and magazines I could do it wth 2,000 or 3,000 pesetas. May be, one day, it will come about." 4-H Ciubllews Griff ia Creek Sewing Club The 4-H Sewing Club j "But tons and Bows" met at the Grif fin Creek school cafeteria Dec. 18, for a Christmas party. All 22 girls and 4 mothers were pres. ent. . . '.' We had a short business meet ing in which a schedule was worked out for the rest of the year. ; ' The girls were anxious to start the party. We had games and exchanged gifts and then refreshments were served by the leaders. Elise Eskew, Reporter, - , slMv vv C'-' ''' " LOW DOWN PAYMENT Something to Smile About ! Last year, thousands of young Americans confidently looked toward a future of hap piness and security by purchasing their own home and found home ownership as easy to achieve as paying rent! These ambitious young people simply turn ed to the , NATION'S LARGEST SINGLE SOURCE OF MORTGAGE LOANS - LOCAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS - for ' loans for home building, buying, and altera tions! Since 1909, JACKSON COUNTY FED ERAL, a LOCAL institution, has helped Jack son County citizens from all walks of life own their own homes, through pay-like-rent HOME LOAN plans. Today, we are serving more than ever before! Why deprive yourself and your family of that home you want and need? Come in and talk to us about various ownership plans with no obligation. Our business is help ing fill your home needs. Jackson County Federal SAVINGS and LOAN ASSOCIATION 126 E. Main Medford 'Where You Are Paid To Save' V You're SAFE when you buy by reliable Your investment in a product is pro tected by the manufacturer's own stake in it. Here's how: . " Manufacturers know that' if their wares don't please you they'll go out of business . . . that it's faith in their trademarks that keeps you buying their goods. So they compete with each. ; other all the time to make theirs the best in the field. That's how they keep you buying their brands.' So learn the facts back of trademarks 5 and brand names. ; Watch this news paper for news of improved products, . new items, and where to find them. . BRAND NAMES FOUNDATION INCORPORATED . . NON-PROFIT IDUCATIONAJ. FOUNOATIOM i ' 7 WEST B7 STREET. NEW VORK IS. M.V. trndlcmapCic WANT PROTECTION f PATRONiZETHE DEALER WHO PROVIDES VojJRFAYOftlTE tUNW
