Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-08-10
BY Julius Scott

caused the introduction OF many
measures into Congress and the
state legislatures. Opportunistic
politicians try to egt votes by
measures which merely betray
their supporters.
The Wagner Bill is intended
to pass the buck to the States.
II provides for the setting up of
Unemployment Insurance funds
like that of Wisconsin. The Wis
consin Unemployment Compen-
satiOn Act which goes into effect
July /, 1888, Is then, an example
OF the Wagner Bill in its results.
1t is "A model, praised by Wanger,
of the set-ups.
Only one bill, known as the
Workers Unemployment and
Social Insurance Act, HR 1898,
provides for real workers insur-
ance. II was introduced by Con-
gresham Lundeen, Farmer-La-
borite, of Minnesota. BY con-
traSting the clauses of these bills,
the Wisconsin Bill and the
Workers Unemployment lnsur-
ance Bill, HR 75eS, we arrive at
an understanding of the posi-
bilities of Social Insurance, and
discover the speciousness of the
Wagner-LcwiS. Wisconsin, and all
other such measures.
Who Gets Unemployment
Insurance
The Wisconsin Law excludes
many totally unemployed be
cause no one is eligible for UNI
employment insurance benefits
unless he has been a resident of
the state for two years before
losing his job or unless he has
been employed in the state for
forty weeks within that two year
period.
This eliminates migratory
workers, youth who have never
been able to get work and others.
The law specifically states that
farm lahOrers, loggers, teachers,
dOmeStics, interstate railway
workers, elective and appOintive
officers on a salary (gOv. employ
CcS, nurses and intemcs, doctors,
are not eligible. 1t offers no in
surance benefits to workers in
concerns employing less than ten
persons.
HR 1893 is the only bill which
does provide insurance for mil.
lions of unemployed 1t provides
insurance for unattached youth,
no discrimination by reason of
sex, race, political or economic,
opinion.
1t offers insurance benefits ia
all workers, industrial, CONNER.
cial, agricultural, transport, mari
time, migratory, domestic, office
and government workers.
The Washington law reads, "a
person who is a maritime or mig
ratory worker shall come within
this act if he is a resident of the
state of Washington within one
year before partial or total I'M
emplo Y IN e mt, Notwithstanding
that he may be without the state
at the commencement of his par
tial or total unemployment.
How Much Unemployment
Insurance?
The Wisconsin Bill provides
for a maximum of ten weeks I'M
employment insurance benefits
in a year. The maximum payment
is $40 per week, or SO per cent
of the wages, if a worker has
been getting less than $40 per
week. Even this may be further
reduced if the fund gets low.
HR 1898 provides, Every fully
unemployed person shall be en-
titled to benefits equal to the
average full wage of a worker in
the particular industry and To-
cality, but in no case less than
$40 per week. Besides this I'M
emplOyed, and all who earn less
than S15 per week shall be entitl-
ed to So week for each depend
lent.
The Wisconsin Bill has strike
breaking clause, which reads as
follows: AwOrker is not eligible
for insurance benefits who has
Host his job through misconduct
or voluntarily relinquished it
without good cause attributable
to his employer. He is not eligible
if he has lost his job through a
trade dispute"
HR 1898 provides mo person
shall be deprived of any of the
insurance benefits provided fol-
in this act by reason of his re-
fusal to continue or accept EN-
ployment where there is a strike
or lockout at the place of EN-.
plOyment."
Where Does Insurance Come