7,767, or somewhat over half. In addition, 328 had been approved but did not receive aid; undoubtedly some of these were approved in anticipation of receipt of Federal funds under the Social Security Act, and when these failed to materialize payment on these applications was postponed to 1936. In some cases, however, the arrearages were of longer standing. Thus, one county in Illinois reported early in 1936 that the applications now being investigated are those received in 1933; all of those received in 1935 (and presumably those of 1934) were still pending at the time of the report.

Table 3.-Disposition of Applications for Blind Pensions Received During 1935,

THE average monthly allowance made to sightless persons in 1935 ranged from $1.98 in Oklahoma to $37.18 in Wyoming. Seven States paid allowances averaging less than $10 a month, and 20 paid allowances of less than $20. In six States the monthly grants averaged $25 or more. Wyoming and California were the most generous, with allowances of $37.18 and $33.06, respectively. Arkansas, Connecticut, and Oklahoma were at the other end of the scale, all paying benefits averaging less than $5 per person per month. A very slight increase took place in the general average, which rose from $19.82 in 1934 to $20.39 in 1935.

Table 4 shows for each State the average benefits in 1934 and 1935 as compared with the maximum allowable under the provisions of

law in effect during the year. The outstanding features of the comparison are the large increases in average benefits in Colorado, Maryland, Nebraska, and Washington, and the severe decline of the average allowance in Minnesota and New York.

Grants to individuals (not shown in the table) ranging in amount from $2.50 to $42.50 were reported.

Table 4.-Average Blind Allowances Paid in 1934 and 1935, as Compared With Maximum Payable Under Act

1 Refers in all cases to maximum established by act under which benefits were paid.

2 Last 5 months of year.

No limit except in case of married couples both blind, in which case not over $360 per year. $50 if head of family.

In theory the size of the allowance is based upon the needs and circumstances of the applicant, as revealed by investigation by the administering authorities. In States where blind relief is carried out on a social-work basis, the above requirement is undoubtedly met. Reports by many of the counties and a few of the States, however, indicate that there are many areas where the allowances made are of uniform amount, irrespective of the applicant's circumstances.

One county reported that the county made a fixed appropriation of $12,000, of which $3,000 was allotted for each quarter year. The quarterly amount was divided among the beneficiaries, and "the larger the number of pensioners, the smaller the individual allowance."

Extent and Cost of Pension System

THE relative development of the system, as of the end of 1935, is shown in table 5. In the 28 States covered by the table nine-tenths of the population was in the counties which had put the system into force, in 13 of the 28 it was in State-wide effect, and in 5 others more than nine-tenths of the population was covered.

Table 5.-Relative Development of Blind-Pension System in 1935, by States

1 In case of State-wide systems, all the counties are regarded as having system, though some counties may have had no blind persons requiring aid during year.

? Data are for year ending June 30. 1934; no report for 1935.

For all States combined, the number of beneficiaries per 10,000 of population declined from 1934 to 1935 from 4.9 to 4.5. No change in rate occurred in 3 States, and 11 States showed a rise in the rate in 1935. Decreases occurred in ten States. The annual per capita cost remained unchanged at 11 cents. The most striking changes occurred in Arkansas where the beneficiary rate declined from 6.3 to 1.9, in Kentucky where the rate fell from 9.8 to 7.2 and the cost from 11 to 6 cents, in Minnesota where although the rate rose perceptibly the cost was cut in half, and in Washington where although the rate rose only from 3.1 to 3.7 the cost more than doubled.

Table 6.-Trend of Blind-Pension Roll and Cost of Aid, 1934 and 1935 1

! Based only upon counties in which act was in operation during all or part of year.

Figures relate only to counties having pension system.

* Computed on basis of full year, even though in some States the act was in operation during only part o year.

10 of 1 cent.

Benefits Under Different Types of Plans

THAT the State-aided systems pay the most liberal allowances is shown by table 7. In both years the average benefits under Stateaided systems were largest, the wholly State plans were second in order, and the smallest benefits were paid in States where the counties were required to raise all of the funds. Comparison of the States reporting both years shows that while the average benefits rose 18.1 percent under State systems and 6.4 percent under State-aided systems, the county benefits fell nearly 9 percent.

Table 7.-Comparison of Benefits Paid Under County, State-Aided, and State Systems of Aid to Blind in 1934 and 1935

1 Actually some State aid given, though act does not provide for it.

No aid to counties, but State bears cost of aid to persons without legal residence in any county.
Aid only to extent of cost of administration.

Sources of Funds

SLIGHTLY more than half (54.0 percent) of the money necessary to provide blind pensions in 1935 was furnished by the States, as compared with only 50.7 percent in 1934.

Table 8 shows the proportion of cost which according to legal enactment is imposed upon State and county and the amount and percentage actually forthcoming from these sources in 1935. In general, as the table indicates, the legal obligations were met as provided by the blind-pension laws. Exceptions were Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, and New Hampshire.

In Illinois where the State is supposed to reimburse the counties to the extent of half of the amount paid in benefits, repayment has been slow. In 1935, however, the county reports indicate, many of the counties received not only the State's share of the 1935 benefits but also some part of the amount still due as reimbursement for previous years. One county reported, nevertheless, that the State was still in arrears to it more than $20,000. In all of the counties combined, the State had paid only 42.8 percent of the pension cost in 1935.

In Iowa, Louisiana, and New Hampshire, on the other hand, the State although not legally chargeable had assisted with sums ranging from 1 to 80 percent of the cost.