The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-06
Wagner Proposes
Gyp Tax Scheme
to aid" JObIeSs
toonsin,.ed from Page u

sser 70 the jobless. This measure
Wagner will introduce again this
sexton.
Should the mass drive for real
Federal Unemployment and Social
Insurance, guaranteeing every worker
a minimum Of $40 every week he is
OF psyrolls, reach such proportions
that the don1insnt rulers realize
some trick action Is imperative for
their good, then a host Of 1n1crack
substitutes will be discussed in Con-
gfeSS. Wagner already has new
idea In mind - to provide "Unen1-
ployment Insurance" under The N. r.
A. codes to be administered of course,
by the employer groups who now
have charge OF executing the codes,
such as the Cotton Textile Institute,
even this, he said, he won't propose
"dnless I see that I can get some
support for it, Support will not
be forthcoming, Of course. unless it
becomes necessary to Head off real
Federal Unemployment Legislation.
'Umconstituticnal"
To an enumeration of the Work
efs' Unemployment Insurance Bill
principies-its proposal to guarantee
benefits to everyone unemployed
without discrimination for the full
pelod Of enforced idleness and on
an insurance basis placing social
responsibility for unemployment on
the government - Wagner listened
with an air Of patient indulgence.
Then he said:
THAT involves great many ques-
tons. Until you (n1eaning the work
ers) get into control, wen still have
constitution, and that raises the
question Of whether the Federal Gov
eminent can erect fund to pay
Unemployment insurance to workers
who are engaged in intra-State
work"
lie referred to the ancient sllib-
boletl1 that Congress can regulate
only matters in interstate commerce.
do you accept the suggestion that
Federal Unemployment Insurance
wouid be unconstitutional? I asked.
you're Limited
Il don't ACCEPT it," he said, but
I say there's serious question about
it and that the prevailing opinion
Is that the Federal Government
couldn't do it,"
The Senator paused, answered a
telephone call, then swiveled around
and volunteered: "Of course there
is some contention that the N. l. r.
A. is unconstitutional. But I say we
can regulate matters that affect in
terstate commerce even indirectly
for instance, If q swestshop is oper-
ating exclusively in one State, it
still affects interstate commerce in
directly, and say we can regulate
It,"
Then why doesn't unemployment,
Z which is nationwide, affect interstate
commerce, and why can't you there
fore regulate that"
II don't want to get into legal
istic argument" he smiled. Il think
you're limited to the two weys of
unemployment insurance the tax
exemptions or under the N. r. A.
codes"
Little Patching
And then came Social Justice"
"Os course the constitution is what
the Supreme Court says it Is, and
that moves as conditions move and
higher conception of social justice
10 accepted" the Senator continued.
mo, I'm not sure 1t (Federal Unern-
ployrnent insurance. would be I'm
constitutional we are becoming
aware that economic questions must
be dealt with on national scale.
Now go ahead and roast me because
I'm worse enemy than Herbert
Hoover and jim watson and william
Ware, because I want to patch up
the system
Well, YOU do want to do that,
don't yeus'
NO" the Senator insisted, ''Ne are
building something new. preserving
ell the good Of the old and destroy
ing the rest. We're rebuilding the
system In conformity with social
justice.
A social justice" suggested.
which considers among the good"
OF the old the profit system with its
illseparable exploitation of labor.
To be subordinated to the service
Of the people" he said
But it remains, according to your
plan; you continue the fundamental
injustice to which this all goes back,
the condition that hte masses con-
tinue to sell their labor power to a
few who own the means OF produc-
ton and who appropriate the sur
Plus value Of labor; you would keep
that, Of course?"
Yes" He seemed to be thinking
out loud. But If the profit motive
is regulated, you can have a system
that Will retain 1t, but still provide
Had the Senator not heard about
social Justice"
what happened in Germany when
people who professed such objects
actually ran tliings--tlie Socialists
Who, indeed, even sought to reform
the croft motive out Of existence
people who paved the way for Adolf
Hitler?
You know the Senator said, I'm
always afraid Of my radicalism until
you come around"
~ r.,