ABSTRACT
The first key issue facing the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) committees concerned the defeat of any attempt to revive the Clark Amendment. Although the SSRC’s Public Administration Committee made many contributions to the development of the Social Security Board between 1935 and 1937, its Committee on Social Security took primary responsibility for Social Security in 1937, which made it possible for the Public Administration Committee to concentrate on other governmental issues. Once the Clark Amendment was finally out of the way, SSRC committee members could turn their full attention to providing advice on Social Security Board procedures and suggesting changes in the Social Security Act. The liberal-labor alliance won its first victory on its own on a Social Security initiative, due to concessions it made to the Southern Democrats, on an amendment to include disability benefits. Social Security seemed to be a fact of life, except for libertarians and other ultraconservatives.
