Evening star., 1932-11-29

Action in favor OF unemployment in
surance by the Executive Council of the
| American Federation Of Labor Is
sympathetically received in comments
| throughout the country. State systems
would be created. with funds estab-
| lished through contributions represent
| ing small percentage Of pay rolls. It
| Is held that the subject is likely to
become matter Of considerable public
| debate, especially as Wisconsin has
such legislation, and favorable report
has been made in Ohio. Chief objec-
ton to the federation plan Is that the
employe has no obligation to contribute
to the fund, and that the burden falls
upon industry.
GAN the possible disputants.' accord
ing the Newark Evening News, "agree
on one proposition-some provision has
to be made for the willing worker who
is unemployed through no fault Of his
own" That paper finds 'it is general
ly agreed that there Is no better time
than the present to bring the problem
to the attention Of the lawmakers, as
the commission of Gov. White of Ohio
impressively showed in its estimate Of
what could have been done II such a
plan were made effective 10 years ago. "
The Indianapolis News points out that
the Ohio commissions view Is that such
insurance is desirable, but that 1t
should be provided entirely by the en-
ployers and the wage earners," and that
paper voices the opinion that the plan
avoids the most Objectionable features
of such plans In requiring no contribu-
ton of tax money, and has some merit
as indicating feeling that some form
Of compulsory wage saving may be
beneficial to the social structure
+ X X \
Organized labor's proposal, as viewed
by the Omaha World Herald, upholds
the view that "the worker has an
equity in employment, and the Omaha
paper believes that it "helps clear the
air, gives basis for discussion, and
may point the way toward united action
against the miseries of unemployment
and the loss Of capital. 1t concludes
In one essential respect the statement
falls short 1t does not define labor's
duties with respect to the new pro-
gram" The Baltimore Evening Sun
observes "a very decided shift in the
traditional policy of the Labor Fedora
ton, recalling that, under the leadership
of Samuel Gompers, the federation
emphasized its non-poitical character
and stood out strongly for collective
bargaining between employer and the
employed" The Evening Sun observes
that in the present utterance the fed
Grafton leaders favor plan which sis
not dole in the style of the European
doles, for, though regulated by govern
ment, it's funds would be supplied en-
tirely by industry"
The interdependence Of labor and
industry" in the Judgment CT the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, 'is a
compelling reason why they should be
able to get together on a Just and
workable plan of discharging society's
obligation to those who, able, willing
and competent to work, are denied op-
portunity because Of the maladjust-
ments Of the machine age and the
instability Of production" That paper
makes the comment on the federation
proposal: Unemployment insurance as
proposed differs from the Wisconsin
law and the measure proposed for Ohio
by committee OF inquiry. In Wiscon-
sin the building up Of unemployment
insurance reserves and their distribution
under prescribed conditions are COM
pulsory only If industries fail by a
certain date to institute approved plans
of corresponding scope under their own
control. The labor councillors want
fiat compulsory insurance, paid out CT
funds wholly supplied by industry, ac-
cummulated In and disbursed frem a
common treasury without reference In
distribution to the amount CT funds
flowing from different industries. the
whole to be under State administration,
with both voluntary insurance plans
and underwriting Of unemployment
risks by insurance companies barred.
On several points the labor program Is
IN agreement with the views of en-
hghtened employers as TO basic facts.