THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD OFFICE WAS KNOWN FROM
THE EARLIEST DAYS OF SOCIAL SECURITY.
ON DECEMBER 2ND, 1935, THE SOCIAL SECURITY BOARD
APPOINTED A FIELD OFFICE COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE OPTIMAL
LOCATIONS FOR OFFICES TO PROVIDE DIRECT PUBLIC SERVICE.
E.J. MCCORMICK CHAIRMAN FOR THE FIELD OFFICE COMMITTEE
STATED THAT REGARDLESS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ACT,
THERE REMAINS THE OBVIOUS FACT THAT ITS ADMINISTRATION,
PARTICULARLY IN THE FIELD, WILL EITHER MAKE OR DEFEAT
THE ENTIRE PROGRAM. IN SELECTING SITES FOR
THE FIELD OFFICES, THE COMMITTEE CONSIDERED
SUCH FACTORS AS EASE IN ADMINISTRATION,
CONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC, AND UNIFORMITY IN THE
DISTRIBUTION OF THE WORKLOADS. THE COMMITTEE STUDIED POPULATION
AND POPULATION DENSITIES, IT ADDRESSED QUESTIONS OF
ACCESSIBILITY IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS,
AND CONSIDERED TRADING ZONES, AND SHOPPING AREAS THAT PEOPLE
FREQUENTLY TRAVELED. IT ALSO CONSIDERED THE
NUMBER OF WAGE EARNERS LIVING IN THAT AREA,
TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AVAILABLE,
NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT AND THE AVAILABILITY OF SPACE AND COSTS.
IN JANUARY 1936, THE COMMITTEE PRESENTED A PLAN
TO THE SSB CALLING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 89 DISTRICT
OFFICES AND 517 BRANCH OFFICES. HOWEVER, DUE TO BUDGET
CONSTRAINTS THE TOTAL NUMBER WAS REDUCED FROM
606 TO 397 OFFICES. EACH OF THE 397 OFFICES
WERE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF 12 GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS THAT
MADE UP THE FIELD ORGANIZATION. THE FIRST FIELD OFFICES WERE
THE 12 REGIONAL OFFICES. THESE WOULD SERVICE COMMAND
CENTERS ACROSS THE U.S. WITH THE TASK OF SHARING THE
WORKLOAD OF ENROLLMENT SO THAT THE SSB ADMINISTRATIVE
HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WOULD NOT BE OVERWHELMED.
BY THE END OF 1936, 12 REGIONAL OFFICES WERE OPEN
IN BOSTON, NEW YORK,
WASHINGTON, CLEVELAND,
CHICAGO, BIRMINGHAM,
MINNEAPOLIS, KANSAS CITY,
SAN ANTONIO, DENVER,
AND SAN FRANCISCO. THERE WERE ALSO TWO
TERRITORIAL OFFICES. ONE IN HONOLULU HAWAII AND
THE OTHER IN JUNO, ALASKA.
THE FIRST FIELD OFFICE PROPERLY KNOWN AS A DISTRICT
OFFICE OPENED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS ON OCTOBER 14TH, 1936.
WHY AUSTIN TEXAS? TO UNDERSTAND THIS DECISION WE
NEED TO GO BACK TO AUGUST 1935. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF
THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, THE BUDGET APPROPRIATION
BILL WAS FILIBUSTERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR HUEY LONG,
A DEMOCRAT FROM LOUISIANA. LONG WAS A STAUNCH OPPONENT
OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT.
CONGRESS ADJOURNED WITHOUT APPROVING A BUDGET FOR
SOCIAL SECURITY. AS SOON AS THE NEW SESSION
OF CONGRESS CONVENED IN JANUARY 1936,
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, JAMES BUCHANAN,
A DEMOCRAT FROM TEXAS, RAISED QUESTIONS REGARDING
THE SOCIAL SECURITY BOARD'S BUDGET ESTIMATES.
SSB CHAIRMAN JOHN WINANT MET WITH CONGRESSMAN BUCHANAN;
AND MUCH TO HIS SURPRISE, LEARNED THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE
WANTED TO CUT THE SSB'S BUDGET BY 25%.
TOWARD THE END OF THE MEETING, BUCHANAN RAISED THE ISSUE OF
THE PLACEMENT OF THE SSB'S 12 REGIONAL OFFICES.
CHAIRMAN BUCHANAN INFORMED WINANT THAT HE WANTED ONE OF THE
REGIONAL OFFICES TO BE PLACED IN THE CHAIRMAN'S HOMETOWN
OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. THE CONGRESSMAN MADE IT CLEAR
THAT IF WINANT WANTED HIS HELP ON THE SSB'S BUDGET REQUEST
THAT THIS WAS THE QUID PRO QUO THAT HE HAD IN MIND.
THIS PRESENTED A PROBLEM FOR WINANT SINCE THE BOARD HAD
ALREADY SELECTED SAN ANTONIO AS THE REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE
SOUTHWEST AND HAD MADE A HIRING COMMITMENT TO THE INDIVIDUAL
WHO WOULD SERVE AS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR.
EVENTUALLY, SSB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FRANK BANE STEPPED IN AND NEGOTIATED A COMPROMISE.
THE DEAL AGREED UPON WAS THAT BUCHANAN WOULD STOP HIS
INSISTENCE THAT A REGIONAL OFFICE BE LOCATED IN AUSTIN
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THE FIRST FIELD OFFICE
IN AUSTIN. THE FINAL SOCIAL SECURITY
APPROPRIATION PASSED AND WAS REDUCED BY SLIGHTLY
LESS THAN 20%. FORMER FOREIGN SERVICE
EMPLOYEE FRED ROGERS COMPLETED HIS TRAINING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
AND WAS NAMED DISTRICT MANAGER FOR AUSTIN.
WHEN FRED TURNED THE KEY TO THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING
ON OCTOBER 14, 1936 HE FOUND A MUSTY INTERIOR
AND EQUIPMENT THAT CONSISTED SOLELY OF DILAPIDATED DESKS
AND CHAIRS LEFT BEHIND BY THE POST OFFICE.
THREE PEOPLE VISITED THE AUSTIN OFFICE ON OPENING DAY,
INCLUDING TWO REPORTERS AND CONGRESSMAN, JAMES BUCHANAN.
FRED SPENT MORE THAN A MONTH AS THE SOLE EMPLOYEE BEFORE A STAFF
OF 50 WAS EVENTUALLY HIRED.
THE SECOND FIELD OFFICE OPENED UP IN JUNO,
ALASKA ON OCTOBER 27TH, 1936. AT THIS POINT IN TIME,
THE TERRITORY OF ALASKA WAS STILL MANY YEARS AWAY
FROM BECOMING A STATE. REGIONAL DIRECTOR HUGH WADE
AND HIS STAFF OF FOUR HAD THEIR OFFICE INSIDE THE
TERRITORIAL BUILDING. THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR
THE JUNO OFFICE WAS THE ISSUANCE OF ACCOUNT NUMBER CARDS.
THIS CREATED A BIT OF WORK FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY EMPLOYEES
AS MANY OF THE ENROLLEES WERE ALASKAN NATIVES WORKING
IN THE CANNING FACTORIES. THESE ALASKAN NATIVES DID
NOT HAVE SURNAMES. IN INUIT CULTURE THERE
IS NO NEED FOR A SURNAME, BUT FOR A GOVERNMENT
ACCOUNTING SYSTEM, THERE IS. THIS LACK OF SURNAMES,
MAIDEN NAMES, OR FAMILY NAMES MEANT THAT
SOCIAL SECURITY HAD TO CREATE A SURNAME FOR THE INNUIT.
THE CANNERY BOOKKEEPERS ALSO HELPED CREATE SURNAMES
FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. SOME OF THE SURNAMES CHOSEN BY
THE NATIVES WERE FANCIFUL, SOME BORROWED SURNAMES FROM A
FRIEND OR THE PERSON HELPING COMPLETE THE ENROLLMENT FORM.
AND OTHERS INDICATED THE VILLAGE OF RESIDENCE.
DETERMINING THE AGE OF MANY NATIVES WAS ALSO
A DAUNTING TASK. SINCE THE INUIT CULTURE DIDN'T
HAVE THE SAME CONCEPT OF TIME IN CALENDAR YEARS LIKE
WESTERN CULTURE. ANOTHER CHALLENGE WAS GETTING
WORD OF THE NEW SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAM TO THE NATIVES.
ALASKA WAS A VAST SPRAWLING WILDERNESS WITH MANY OF
THE VILLAGES LOCATED IN REMOTE AREAS.
SOCIAL SECURITY EMPLOYEES USE DOGSLEDS, RIVERBOATS,
AND AIRCRAFT TO GET THE MESSAGE OF SOCIAL SECURITY
ACROSS A TERRITORY 586, 000 SQUARE MILES IN SIZE.
WHERE DID THE THIRD FIELD OFFICE OPEN?
WAS IT IN NEW YORK CITY, CHICAGO, SAN FRANCISCO?
NO. NATURALLY IT WAS IN
HONOLULU, HAWAII. THAT FIELD OFFICE
OPENED ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 1936 IN THE OLD FEDERAL
BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN HONOLULU.
FIELD OFFICE PERSONNEL HAD TO BE EXPERTS ON NOT ONLY THE
SUBJECT OF OLD AGE BENEFITS, BUT ON ALL OF THE OTHER
ASPECTS OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AS WELL.
THE PUBLIC HAD DIFFICULTY DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN THE
VARIOUS PARTS OF THE PROGRAM. THEREFORE, THE BOARD INSTITUTED
A TWO-WEEK BASIC TRAINING COURSE TO GET INFORMATION TO OLD
FIELD ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.
BEFORE A PERSON WHO WOULD BE WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC REPORTED
TO HIS ASSIGNED OFFICE, HE FIRST CAME TO WASHINGTON
FOR THE COURSE.
ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN 1937, FIELD OFFICES WERE OPENING.
MANY OF THEM IN DONATED OFFICES WHICH LACK THE MOST
ESSENTIAL OFFICE EQUIPMENT. IMAGINE COMING INTO WORK ON YOUR
FIRST DAY AND HAVING TO DO WHAT JIM PEEBLES OF PORTLAND,
OREGON DID, BACK IN JULY 1937. HIS OFFICE DIDN'T HAVE
ENOUGH CHAIRS, SO HE BORROWED CHAIRS FROM
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TRUCKED THEM BY HAND
FOR TWO BLOCKS, AND PASSED THEM THROUGH
A WINDOW TO HIS WIFE. SOME WORKERS REPORTED TO OFFICES
THAT WERE NOTHING MORE THAN AN APARTMENT BUILDING COMMANDEERED
BY THE GOVERNMENT AND CONCERTED INTO OFFICES.
MOST EARLY FIELD OFFICES HAD VERY SMALL STAFFS,
USUALLY ONE TO THREE. IN CERTAIN CASES,
AN OFFICE WOULD ONLY HAVE A MANAGER ON STAFF.
THERE WERE THREE POSITIONS IN THE FIELD OFFICES.
THE FIELD MANAGER, FIELD ASSISTANT,
AND CLAIMS ASSISTANT. INITIALLY THESE EARLY
FIELD OFFICES TOOK CLAIMS, PROCESSED THE PAPERWORK
AND TRANSMITTED THEM TO THE CLAIMS DIVISION IN
WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR ADJUDICATION AND PAYMENT.
FOLLOWING THE 1939 AMENDMENTS, FIELD OFFICES BEGAN TO
ASSUME MORE CLAIMS WORK. THAT SAME YEAR,
A CLAIMS MANUAL WAS DISTRIBUTED TO THE FIELD.
IT WAS A SLIM ONE VOLUME BOOK THAT COMPLETELY OUTLINED
THE LAW AND PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING CLAIMS.
IN MAY OF 1942, THE CLAIMS DIVISION WAS
DECENTRALIZED AND FIELD OFFICES BEGAN COMPUTING BENEFITS,
DESIGNATING PAYEES AND DETERMINING ENTITLEMENT.
AS THE PROGRAM GREW, SO DID THE ROLE OF
THE FIELD OFFICE. FROM ISSUING SOCIAL SECURITY
NUMBERS AND TAKING CLAIMS FOR LUMP SUM PAYMENTS IN 1937 TO
TAKING CLAIMS FOR MONTHLY BENEFITS IN 1939.
THE NEXT EVOLUTION IN FIELD OPERATIONS CAME IN 1947,
WHEN TYPEWRITERS WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE CLAIMS ASSISTANTS,
NOW CALLED CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVES,
AND GIVEN TO FULL-TIME TYPISTS AND STENOS TO HANDLE
THE CLAIMS CLERICAL WORK. THIS ENABLED CLAIMS REPS TO
DEVOTE MORE TIME TO INTERVIEWING CLAIMANTS AND CREATED A MORE
PROFESSIONAL ATMOSPHERE. THIS 1940'S SOCIAL SECURITY
NEWSREEL DESCRIBES THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING AN ACCOUNT.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND EVERY WALK
OF LIFE HAVE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS.
BUT FEW REALIZE THE TREMENDOUS JOB OUR GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKES
IN SETTING UP THE MILLIONS OF ACCOUNTS WHICH THOSE
CARDS IDENTIFY. ACCOUNTS WHICH ENSURE GREATER
OLD AGE AND FAMILY SECURITY. TAKE AN AVERAGE CITIZEN,
THIS MAN DRESSED IN BLUE SERGE, FOR EXAMPLE,
HE MIGHT WELL BE YOU. WE'LL CALL HIM JOE, JOE JOHNSON.
HE IS GOING TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE IN HIS
TOWN TO APPLY FOR A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD.
SO TOGETHER, LET'S FOLLOW THE PROCEDURE
NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH JOE'S FEDERAL OLD AGE AND SURVIVOR'S
INSURANCE ACCOUNT.
IN SUCH TYPICAL OFFICES AS THIS, WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER CARDS,
EACH OF WHICH PROCLAIMS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL,
FEDERAL OLD AGE INSURANCE ACCOUNT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED
FOR ITS OWNER. JOE HAS ASKED THE CLERK
HOW HE GOES ABOUT MAKING HIS APPLICATION.
SHE EXPLAINS HE MUST FILL OUT AN APPLICATION AND THEN
OFFERS TO TYPE THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR HIM.
THE CLERK ASKS JOE'S FULL NAME, DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH,
PARENTS' NAMES, AND SO FORTH.
AFTER THE FORM HAS BEEN TYPED, JOE SIGNS IT AND IS DIRECTED
TO ANOTHER DESK.
THIS SECOND CLERK TAKES JOE'S APPLICATION AND FROM IT COPIES
THE INFORMATION ON ANOTHER FORM KNOWN AS AN OFFICE RECORD.
ACCOUNT NUMBERS ARE ASSIGNED SERIALLY AS DETERMINED
FROM THESE PRENUMBERED OFFICE RECORDS.
THEN JOE GETS HIS OFFICIAL SOCIAL SECURITY CARD.
THE NUMBER ON THIS CARD WILL BE USED TO IDENTIFY HIS ACCOUNT.
JOE MUST NOT HAVE MORE THAN ONE NUMBER.
THERE IS NEVER, AND WE EMPHASIZE NEVER,
ANY NEED FOR A SECOND NUMBER, THOUGH JOE MAY GET A DUPLICATE
NUMBER IF HE LOSES HIS CARD.
THE NUMBERS ON JOE'S FOUR FORMS ARE THE SAME.
THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF HIS SOCIAL SECURITY
ACCOUNT IDENTIFICATION. JOE IS GIVEN HIS CARD AND
IS INSTRUCTED TO GUARD IT AS A VALUABLE RECORD.
HE ALSO GETS A SECOND COPY FOR REFERENCE IN CASE HE
LOSES THE ORIGINAL. NEXT THE APPLICATION AND
OFFICE RECORD ARE REVIEWED FOR ACCURACY.
THIS SERVICE TO THE NATION'S WAGE EARNERS IS CARRIED ON IN
MORE THAN 300 LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICES THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY. EACH OFFICE, AFTER REVIEWING,
SENDS THE ORIGINAL APPLICATIONS AND OFFICE RECORDS TO THE
ACCOUNTING HEADQUARTERS IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
HERE APPLICATIONS AND DUPLICATE RECORDS ARE RECEIVED FROM
ALL OVER THE NATION. UNDER THE DIRECTION
OF JOSEPH L. FAY, THEY ARE USED AS BASIC
INFORMATION TO SET UP FEDERAL OLD AGE INSURANCE ACCOUNTS.
THE FIRST BALTIMORE OPERATION IS TO CODE SURNAMES ON
THE OFFICE RECORDS AND ORIGINAL APPLICATIONS.
THIS REDUCES JOE'S LAST NAME TO A HANDY REFERENCE SYMBOL,
WHICH BECOMES J525. IT SIMPLIFIES MATTERS.
LIKE A NICKNAME, IT'S EASIER. THE OFFICE RECORD NOW
GOES TO THE PUNCH UNIT. HERE AN OPERATOR TRANSFERS
JOE'S ACCOUNT NUMBER, NAME, DATE OF BIRTH AND SO FORTH TO
WHAT IS KNOWN AS A PUNCH CARD. PUNCH CARDS ARE AUTOMATICALLY
READ BY MACHINES WHICH SIMPLIFY AND SPEED UP HANDLING OF
MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUAL RECORDS. HERE IS A CARD PUNCHED FOR JOE.
THE HOLE GIVES THE SAME INFORMATION AS THE
OFFICE RECORD, BUT LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE.
PUNCH CARDS QUICKLY HANDLED BY MACHINES ARE DIFFICULT
FOR HUMAN EYES TO DECIPHER. SO THIS MACHINE READS THE
HOLES AND AUTOMATICALLY PRINTS JOE'S NAME,
DATE OF BIRTH AND ACCOUNT NUMBER ON TOP OF THE CARD.
NEXT REVIEW CLERKS CHECK OFFICE RECORDS WITH THE
PRINTED INFORMATION ON TOP OF CORRESPONDING PUNCH CARDS.
EVERY PRECAUTION IS TAKEN SO THAT JOE AND MILLIONS LIKE
HIM WILL HAVE AN ACCURATE AND PERMANENT ACCOUNT SET UP.
WHILE THE OFFICE RECORD IS BEING USED,
THESE MEN DROP THE ORIGINAL APPLICATIONS
INTO AUTOMATIC CAMERAS. CAMERAS WHICH PHOTOGRAPH
AND GREATLY REDUCE SIZE ON SAFETY FILM.
THIS STEP PRESERVES A TRUE AND PERMANENT REPRODUCTION
OF JOE'S APPLICATION. IT'S JUST LIKE TAKING
A PICTURE OF A BABY. YOU WANT TO REMEMBER
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
IN ONE OF THESE SEALED DRAWERS, THOUSANDS OF PHOTOGRAPHED
APPLICATIONS ARE FILED, WOUND ON SPOOLS LIKE THIS.
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SIZE REDUCTION,
HERE IS JOE'S APPLICATION COMPARED WITH THE FILM IMAGE.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS STEP SIMPLIFIES THE STORING AND
PRESERVING OF ORIGINAL RECORDS. NOW LET'S COME BACK TO
THE PUNCH CARD. THIS MACHINE MAKES
DUPLICATES OF THE ORIGINAL. BY HAVING TWO CARDS FOR EACH
ACCOUNT PROCEDURE IS SPEEDED UP. THE DUPLICATE CARDS ARE NOW RUN
THROUGH THIS MACHINE WHICH SORTS THEM IN ALPHABETICAL SEQUENCE,
WHILE THE ORIGINALS ARE KEPT IN ACCOUNT NUMBER SEQUENCE.
THIS PROVIDES A BASIS FOR A CROSS REFERENCE
FILE OF ACCOUNTS. CARDS SORTED IN ALPHABETICAL
ORDER ARE USED BY THIS MACHINE TO REPRODUCE INDEX STRIPS FOR
A NATIONWIDE ALPHABETICAL FILE.
HERE IS JOE JOHNSON'S STRIP SHOWING HIS FULL NAME,
HIS INDEX CODE, DATE OF BIRTH AND
ACCOUNT NUMBER. THESE STRIP WHEN FILED
OCCUPY A SPACE ABOUT HALF AS BIG AS A FOOTBALL FIELD,
SPACE WHICH IS GUARDED NIGHT AND DAY TO ENSURE A CONFIDENTIAL
RECORD, CONFIDENTIAL.
ONE HALF ACRE OF WORKERS' NAMES, DATES OF BIRTH AND SOCIAL
SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBERS, A NATIONWIDE ALPHABETICAL INDEX
FILE CONTAINING MORE THAN 40 MILLION INDIVIDUAL RECORDS OF
WORKERS' ACCOUNTS ESTABLISHED. OVER 40 MILLION NAMES
REPRESENTING THE SAME NUMBER OF PERSONS FOR WHOM FEDERAL
OLD AGE INSURANCE BECOMES A STABILIZING INFLUENCE.
AN ADDED SOURCE OF SECURITY FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AMONG THESE 40 MILLIONS OF INDEX STRIP IS JOE JOHNSON'S.
THERE ARE MANY THOUSANDS OF JOHNSONS HERE.
IN FACT THERE ARE OVER 4,000 JOE OR JOSEPH JOHNSONS ALONE.
HOW DO THEY KEEP 4,000 JOE JOHNSONS STRAIGHT YOU ASK.
AND HOW ABOUT THE SMITHS. THERE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF SMITHS. THE ANSWER IS THE ACCOUNT
NUMBER AND THE DATE OF BIRTH. ANOTHER REASON WHY JOE SHOULD
HAVE ONLY ONE ACCOUNT NUMBER. IN THE NEXT STEP THIS MACHINE
READS HOLES PUNCHED IN THE CARDS THAT WERE KEPT IN
ACCOUNT NUMBER SEQUENCE. IT PRINTS THE INFORMATION FOR
EACH WORKER ON LARGE SHEETS WHICH ARE BOUND IN BOOKS LIKE
THIS AND MAKE UP THE NATIONWIDE NUMERICAL REGISTER.
THIS MACHINE USING THE NUMERICALLY SLOTTED PUNCH CARD
HEADS UP JOE'S LEDGER SHEET ON WHICH HIS QUARTERLY WAGES
WILL LATER BE RECORDED. A RECORD FROM WHICH HIS
INSURANCE BENEFITS WILL BE DETERMINED.
JOE'S FEDERAL OLD AGE AND SURVIVOR'S INSURANCE ACCOUNT
HAS NOW BEEN ESTABLISHED.
MEANWHILE, JOE JOHNSON UNMINDFUL OF THESE PROCEDURES BUSIES
HIMSELF AT HIS JOB. CONFORMING TO LAW JOE'S
EMPLOYER HAS ASKED FOR A RECORD OF HIS WORKER'S SOCIAL
SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBER. JOE COOPERATES BY PRODUCING
HIS ACCOUNT NUMBER CARD, WHICH WAS ISSUED TO HIM IN THE
LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE. A CLERK COPIES THE NUMBER.
THE CLERK IS CAREFUL TO CHECK THE ACCURACY OF HIS RECORD
AGAINST JOE'S CARD. BECAUSE FEDERAL OLD AGE
INSURANCE PAYMENTS ARE MADE TO WORKERS ON THE BASIS
OF THEIR EARNINGS, EVERY THREE MONTHS OF THE
YEAR JOE'S EMPLOYER SENDS THE GOVERNMENT A REPORT OF
THE WAGES HIS EMPLOYEES EARN.
THE REPORT LISTS EACH EMPLOYEE'S NAME,
HIS SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT NUMBER,
AND HIS EARNINGS FOR THE QUARTER YEAR.
THIS REPORT IS PART OF A TAX RETURN AND IS MAILED TO THE
COLLECTOR'S OFFICE OF THE BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE WITH
A CHECK TO COVER THE AMOUNT OF TAXES PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
THIS INCLUDES THE EMPLOYER'S OWN TAX AND AN EQUAL AMOUNT DEDUCTED
FROM HIS EMPLOYEES' WAGES. THE SUBMISSION OF THE EARNINGS
REPORT IS THE FIRST STEP IN A CAREFULLY PLANNED PROCEDURE
WHICH ASSURES MILLIONS OF THE NATION'S BREADWINNERS AN
ACCURATE ACCOUNTING FOR THEIR FUTURE FEDERAL OLD
AGE INSURANCE BENEFITS. TO FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE WE GO
TO A DISTRICT OFFICE OF THE BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE.
HERE IN A BANK LIKE OFFICE EMPLOYERS' TAX RETURNS
POUR IN DAY AFTER DAY. THESE CASHIER CLERKS REMOVE
ALL CHECKS AND SEND THE REPORTS ON TO THE AUDIT UNIT.
THESE CLERKS CHECK THE ACCURACY OF EACH RETURN BY COMPARING
WAGE TOTALS WITH THE AMOUNT OF TAXES REPORTED BY EMPLOYERS.
THE TOP PORTION OF THE RETURN IS REMOVED AND KEPT BY THE
COLLECTOR'S OFFICE FOR A REFERENCE RECORD.
THE ITEMIZED WAGE LISTINGS ARE NOW SENT TO THE
TRANSMITTAL UNIT. HERE ANOTHER CHECK IS MADE
OF REPORTED WAGE TOTALS. THE RETURNS ARE THEN BUNDLED AND
WITH A NOTE OF TRANSMITTAL ARE SENT TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY
ACCOUNTING HEADQUARTERS.
THE BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE MAINTAINS OVER 60 COLLECTORS'
OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE PROCEDURE WE HAVE SEEN
OCCURS IN EACH OF THESE, RESULTING IN A NATIONWIDE FLOW
OF WORK TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY BOARD'S ACCOUNTING CENTER IN
THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.
EMPLOYER TAX RETURNS ARE RECEIVED AND DISTRIBUTED
TO CLERKS IN BUNDLES OF APPROXIMATELY 1,000.
EACH RETURN IS CHECKED WITH THE BUREAU OF INTERNAL
REVENUE'S NOTE OF TRANSMITTAL. THIS IS DONE TO MAKE SURE
NOTHING HAS BEEN LOST ON ROUTE.
THE RETURNS HAVING BEEN CAREFULLY CHECKED ARE NOW GIVEN
OVER TO THE CARD PUNCHING UNIT.
HERE SKILLED OPERATORS PUNCH AN INDIVIDUAL'S CARD FOR EACH
WORKER REPORTED ON THE EMPLOYER RETURNS.
THE CARDS ARE KNOWN AS EARNINGS CARDS BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN
AN INDIVIDUAL RECORD OF QUARTERLY WAGES.
IN THIS SECTION OVER 30 MILLION CARDS ARE PUNCHED EVERY
THREE MONTHS.
BY USE OF PUNCH CARDS IT BECOMES POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN AN
INDIVIDUAL AND ACCURATE RECORD OF WAGES EARNED BY EACH WORKER.
HERE IS JOE JOHNSON'S EARNINGS CARD AFTER IT HAS BEEN PUNCHED.
THE PUNCHED HOLES RECORD NAME, ACCOUNT NUMBER,
AND EARNINGS FOR THE QUARTER. NEXT THE EARNINGS CARDS ARE
PASSED THROUGH THIS MACHINE WHICH READS THE PUNCHED HOLES
AND ACCUMULATES A TOTAL OF INDIVIDUAL WORKER'S EARNINGS.
THE LISTED TOTAL IS CHECKED AGAINST THE TOTAL AS REPORTED
BY THE EMPLOYER. THIS STEP SHOWS UP ERRORS
THAT MIGHT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PUNCHING UNIT.
AT THIS POINT WORK BLOCKS CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY
10,000 CARDS EACH ARE PREPARED FOR SORTING.
SORTING OF EARNINGS CARDS IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO GET THEM
IN ACCOUNT NUMBER SEQUENCE. THIS MUST BE DONE BECAUSE
THE LEDGER SHEETS ARE FILED IN ACCOUNT NUMBER SEQUENCE.
CARDS MUST BE SORTED NINE TIMES. AFTER EACH SORTING HAS BEEN
COMPLETED ITS ACCURACY IS CHECKED BY RUNNING A
NEEDLE THROUGH THE HOLES. IF THERE IS AN ERROR,
IT IMMEDIATELY SHOWS UP AS INDICATED.
THIS TABULATING MACHINE NOW RECEIVES THE EARNINGS CARDS.
IT AUTOMATICALLY LISTS EACH OF THE CARDS AND PRINTS
THE ACCUMULATED TOTAL, WHICH MAKES ANOTHER
CHECK POSSIBLE. THE TOTAL OBTAINED AT THIS TIME
MUST CHECK AGAINST THE FIGURE RECORDED AS CORRECT FOR THE
BLOCK OF WORK BEING HANDLED. ANY ERRORS DISCOVERED
ARE CLEARED UP AS IN ALL OTHER OPERATIONS BY
THE ADJUSTMENT UNIT.
NOW WE COME TO THE COLLATING PROCEDURE.
AT THIS POINT WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE EARNINGS CARD WE
SAW PUNCHED FOR JOE JOHNSON REPRESENTS HIS WAGES FOR THREE
MONTHS, ONE QUARTER OF THE YEAR. SIMILAR CARDS HAVE BEEN PUNCHED
FOR JOE FOR EACH OF THE PRECEDING THREE QUARTERS.
IN PREPARATION FOR POSTING, THIS COLLATING PROCEDURE NOW
BRINGS THESE FOUR CARDS AND THE SUMMARY CARD TOGETHER.
THE COLLATING MACHINE VERIFIES THE ACCURACY OF EACH CARD
WITH RESPECT TO NAME AND ACCOUNT NUMBER.
CARDS THAT MATCH FALL IN ONE RACK.
FAULTY ONES FALL IN THIS RACK AND ARE SENT TO
THE ADJUSTMENT UNIT. NOW TO THE LAST STEP, POSTING,
HERE JOE'S EARNINGS FOR THE YEAR ARE PERMANENTLY RECORDED
ON HIS LEDGER SHEET. THIS IS JOE JOHNSON'S
LEDGER SHEET. THESE FIGURES REPRESENT
HIS EARNINGS FOR THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF THE YEAR.
IN THIS POSTING OPERATION THE EARNINGS CARDS ARE FED TO THE
MACHINES WHICH AUTOMATICALLY READS THE HOLES IN THE
EARNINGS CARDS. JOE'S EARNINGS FOR THE YEAR
WITH QUARTERLY TOTALS ARE PERMANENTLY RECORDED.
HERE IS THE FINAL RESULT. THIS IS THE RECORD OF JOE'S
EARNINGS FOR THE FOUR QUARTERS AND THE YEARLY TOTAL.
JOE'S WAGES FOR THE YEAR HAVE NOW BEEN POSTED.
JOE JOHNSON AS HE COMES TO WORK EACH DAY MAY BE UNMINDFUL OF
THESE ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES, BUT THEY CONTINUE AS
THE YEARS GO BY, CONTINUE WITH MANY CHECKS
AND CONTROLS TO ASSURE JOE A RIGHTFUL AND ACCURATE
FEDERAL OLD AGE AND SURVIVOR'S INSURANCE.
JOE IS ONE WORKER, BUT HE REPRESENTS MILLIONS,
MILLIONS IN JOBS OF EVERY KIND AND DESCRIPTION.
MILLIONS OF BREADWINNERS. FOR ALL OF THESE
AMERICAN WORKERS, ADDED SECURITY WITH FEDERAL OLD
AGE AND SURVIVOR'S INSURANCE.