Townsend National Recovery Plan

Collection

Identifier: SPC-2024-008

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Townsend National Recovery Plan Collection (circa 1935-1941) contains one box and .21 ft of material belonging to Anna A. Johnson. The majority of the collection contains programs, brochures, a report on the third annual National Townsend Convention, and a newsletter titled Townsend National Weekly. The collection focuses on the Townsend National Recovery Plan, discussing its benefits for the United States. The booklet The Townsend Plan includes a greeting to the recipient, photographs of the founders, the founder’s analysis with detailed tables and descriptions of the plan and endorsements of members of city councils. The collection also contains a Programme of the First National Convention of Townsend Clubs and a Souvenir Program from the third Townsend National Convention held in Los Angeles, California, from June 19 to 23, 1938. The souvenir program contains a photograph of the founder, Dr. Francis Townsend, a list of events scheduled, and several photographs of California, including one of the convention opening in the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California.

Dates

circa 1930s; 1935; 1936; June 1938; July 2, 1938; circa 1940; September 20, 1941

Creator

Johnson, Anna A. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Biographical / Historical

Dr. Francis Townsend was born in Fairbury, Illinois, on January 13, 1867. He completed his medical studies at the University of Nebraska and moved to Long Beach, California. In September 1933, he devised a plan to address poverty and pensions for retired individuals called the Townsend National Recovery Plan, also known as the Old Age Revolving Pension Plan. He published pamphlets and other documents to promote his plan, which he believed would benefit the nation. The Townsend Plan proposed that the government would provide a pension of $200 per month to citizens 60 and older to be funded by a 2% national tax. Dr. Townsend first published the plan as a letter to the editor of a newspaper in Long Beach, California. From there, it gained popularity with the creation of over 7,000 “Townsend Clubs” (advocacy groups) in support of adoption. Despite this, the Townsend Plan was ultimately unworkable due to flaws with the tax rate, and the economics of the plan. Due to its popularity and the demand and need for old-age pensions, there is indication that the adoption of a national Social Security plan by President Roosevelt and congress was in direct response to the Townsend Plan. Despite his campaign efforts, his plan did not come to fruition. Townsend passed away on September 1, 1960, in Los Angeles, California.

Sources:

https://www.ssa.gov/history/towns5.html https://www.ssa.gov/history/townsendproblems.html