Page 4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, July 23, 1985
Young people miscalculate value
of social security, speaker says

IN BRIEF
From United Press International

By GAILIJEYMAN
Young people would rather "buy stereos, go skiing, or
have their hair done" than give up part of their income to
social security, according to Wilber Cohen, dean emeritus
of the School of Education, but trying to change this way
of thinking "only makes young people more obstinate."
Cohen, who helped shape the foundation of social
security under the administration of Franklin Roosevelt,
spoke Sunday in Rackham Assembly Hall on "Social
Security: Fifty Years of Progress." His speech was part
of a three-day international conference on aging spon-
sored by the University of Michigan and Yeungnam
University in Korea.
MANY PEOPLE criticize the social security program
because they think of it in terms of "I put money in now
and will get it back later," said Cohen, former Secretary
of Health, Education and Welfare. But actually, he said,
the system is more than just a savings account -'it is an
insurance program based on statistical evidence."
Another popular myth, Cohen said, is based on valid
statistics that lead to the wrong conclusion. Statistics
show that when the social security program began in 1935
only 5 percent of the population was 65 or older. Today,
that figure is at 11 percent, and it is projected to hit at
least 18 percent in 50 years. At the same time, the number
of workers is not increasing.
BECAUSE OF THIS, many people assume that the en-
tire system will collapse, but Cohen disagrees. He said the
idea is a "widespread myth that exists in the United
States because is doesn't take into account productivity
and the G.N.P."
Yet another common misconception, Cohen said, is that
everyone should retire at 65. Cohen strongly opposes
mandatory retirement at any age, saying that "you can't
put all human beings in the same chronological basket."
Competence - not age - should be the criteria for
retirement, he said.
To combat the myths and improve the program itself,
Cohen said the system should be able to adjust more
quickly to changing demographics and the economy. In
addition, Cohen said, the system should be reviewed about

'You can't put all human beings
in the same chronological
basket.'
-Wilber Cohen
dean emeritus of the
U-M School of Education
once every five years, and the public should be better
educated about socialssecurity through a comprehensive
program using speakers, pamphlets, radio, and
television.
WHILE COHEN said education is a top priority, it is
also "an uphill struggle due to dichotomous views of
looking at the world between young and old."
Cohen said preparing for old age is a low priority for
most young people, but giving them a choice about con-
tributing to social security would erode the system.
According to Cohen, the system was set up to be self-
supporting, so people expect government to follow
through with its "moral, legal, and philosophical com-
mitment" to social security.
"PRESIDENT Roosevelt saw that people who put into
the system would rebel if they did not get their just rewar-
ds," he said, "and that is one of the reasons attempts at
cutting benefits today have been largely unsuccessful."
Cohen also praised the skillful administration of the
program, which is why he believes the system is "batting
95 percent."
During a panel discussion after the speech, Cohen was
lauded for many of the attributes that characterized
F.D.R. Andrew Achenbaum, a professor at Carnegie-
Mellon University and the Institute of Gerontology,
described Cohen as a "pragmatic innovator" with
"charming humor."

Terrorists bombing in
Denmark injures 22
COPENHAGEN, Denmark -
Bombs exploded minutes apart in-
side the offices of Northwest Orient
Airlines and outside a Jewish
synagogue yesterday, injuring 22
people, including at least two
Americans. A Moslem terrorist
group claimed responsibility.
Thehead of the Danish police for-
ce, P. Hasselriis, said six
foreigners were arrested in con-
nection with the bombings. He
gave no other details
A man saying he represented the
Moslem terrorist group Islamic
Jihad called a Western news agen-
cy in Beirut, Lebabnon, to claim
responsibility for the attacks,
saying they were in retaliation for
an Israeli raid Sunday on the
village of Kabrikha in southern
Lebanon in which at least one
villager was killed.
"From now on . . . our activity
will no longer be confined to Gulf
countries and the Middle East, but
will target every Zionist, U.S. or
reactionary institution in all the
world," the caller said in Arabic.
Impeachment possible
for Gov. of Alaska
JUNEAU, Alaska - A special
session of the Alaska Legislature
convened yesterday for the start of
impeachment proceedings against
first-term Democratic Gov.
William Sheffield, who has been
charged with political cronyism.
The 15-member grand jury
recommended the action after a 21-
day investigation into Sheffield's
role in a state procurement bid.
Specifically, the 57-year-old
governor is charged with steering
a $9.1 million lease for state offices
to a building in Fairbanks partly
owned by a friend and former
political fund-raiser.
In a special report, the jury con-
cluded that Sheffield and members
of his staff "improperly intervened
in the procurement process for the
consolidation of state office space
in Fairbanks and subsequently at-

tepe ofuste oficalin-
vestigations in this matter."
Steelworkers strike
PITTSBURGH - Steelworkers
picketed peacefully yesterday on
the second day of a walkout at nine
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp.
plants, but one union leader
threatened violence against any
strikebreakers who try to enter
mills.
"We want to be orderly but if
scabs cross our line, we're going to
bust their faces," said Local 1187
President Galvie Gardner at
Wheeling-Pittsburgh's Allenport
plant in suburban Pittsburgh.
OPEC agrees price
adjustment necessary
GENEVA, Switzerland - OPEC
oil ministers, facing the worst
crisis in the cartel's 25-year
history, agreed on the opening day
of their summit yesterday on an ef-
fort to adjust prices to revive weak
demand and counter competition.
Indonesian oil minister Subroto,
president of the Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries,
said the ministers also decided to
put off any discussion of a new
production ceiling and quotas until
a meeting in the fall.
Haiti holds election
on president for life
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -
Haitians, forced to cast ballots in
full view of soldiers and gover-
nment officials voted yesterday
whether to ratify a new con-
stitution affirming Jean Claude
Duvalier as president for life.
The outcome of the election was
never in doubt, critics said. At
least 2 million Haitians were ex-
pected to vote in the election,
although early turnout appeared
light. Many of the voters were
soldiers or members of Duvalier's
government.
Duvalier, whose family has
ruled Haiti for 28 years, voided the
nation's constitution and instituted
a new one in June that makes him
president for life and allows him to
name his successor.

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Nicaragua seeks one
billion in suit against U.S

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (UPI) ~
Nicaragua expects to win a $1 billion
judgment against the United States
for financing rebels fighting to over-
throw the government, American
lawyers representing Nicaragua
before the World Court said yester-

"The United States accepts respon-
sibility for the fact they are trying to
overthrow the Nicaraguan gover-
nment through the contras."
"That is clearly against inter-
national law," he added.

i

day. In an interview with United Press
International, Appelbaum said Ni-
"On the merits of argument, there caragua might also file a second
is no defense under the law for what lawsuit before the International Court
they are doing," said attorney Judith of Justice at The Hague, in response
Appelbaum. "The only question is to the economic embargo imposed on
whether the opinion will be Nicaragua in May by the Reagan ad-
unanimous and whether we will get a ministration.
large monetary judgement."

"When you put all the statements of
President Reagan together, the pat-
tern is overwhelming," ssaid David
Wipman, another lawyer on the case.

Appelbaum and her partner, Paul
Reichler, have a Washington-based
law firm that represents the
Nicaraguan government in the United
States.

Vol. XCV - No. 36-S
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