The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-17
The Social Security
Conference

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELTS National
L Conference on Economic Security dis
illusioned all those who had expected
some proposals which would benefit the
unemployed Roosevelt and his admins
tration leaders advocated not unemployment in
surance, but unemployment reserves" to apply
only to those now at work. The question of old age
and health insurance was declared to be question
for the future"
Those members Of the conference. such as Paul
Douglass, member of the League Sor Industrial
Democracy, who are close to the Socialist Party,
went along fully with Roosevelt's policy of no in
sursnce for those now unemployed. Douglass, sup
porting Roosevelt advocated workers contributions
to pay even for the unemployment reserves"
The speeches of the conference leaders, in fact
showed that revision of the Wagner-Lewis BILL far
from benehtting the unemployed workers, will be
along the lines of granting even less The new
proposals of the Roosevelt administration leaders
are for workers contributions to the unemployment
reserves" whereas the Wagner-Lewis bill, which
also meant nothing to those now unemployed, pro-
posed that the meagre reserves" funds come from
taxes en- employers.
The policy Of both the Roosevelt administration
and the Republican Party, as outlined in Ogden
Mills Buffalo speech are now seen to be identical
in all important aspects Mills advocated the same
stead reserves" for those now working and no
federal insurance. He advocated the vicious Wis
consin law.
Roosevelt made clear in his speech to the confer
ence that he is opposed to any federal unemploy-
ment or social insurance. He advocated federal"
law which will leave in the hands of the states the
administration of the funds. For the adminstra-
ton of insurance benefits the states are the most
logical units he told the conference The funds
are to be held and invested by the federal govern
ment.
The unemployment insurance" advocated by
Roosevelt is not unemployment insurance but "un-
employment reserves" This means that those now
unemployed, or who become unemployed before
the operation Of the unemployment reserves" plan
advocated by Roosevelt, 90 not get any benefit out
OF the law. 1t is to apply only to those at work when
the law begins to operate and will leave the seven
teen million new unemployed completely out in the
CT
Roosevelt emphasized that his proposals do not
epply to those now unemployed by declaring. I'VE
must not allow this type of insurance to become
doe through the m!ngHng of insurance and relief
1t Is not charity 1T MUST BE FINANCED BY
CONTRIBUTIONS NOT TAXES"
Roosevelt made it clear throughout his speech
that the funds are not to come from the govern
ment or the employers, but proposes instead that
the workers out of their already small wages must
pay the cost OF the insurance This unemployment
reserves system is antl-union proposal because
it fear of the loss Of the job and the loss of
the insurance" fund as the penalty for fighting
for union condt ons It places club in the hands
of the employer.
On the question of old age pensions Roosevelt
declared, L do not know whether this is the time
for any federal legislation on old age security" On
health Insurance he did not know whether we
come to this form Of insurance soon or later on"
Mrs. Perkins, IN her later speech on the one hand
declared Roosevelt is not opposed to old age or
health insurance and on the other, repeated the
obscure and vague hints of delay in health and
old age insurance.
This, then, is the program for social insurance"
put forward by Rooscvelt-no old age insurance
no health insurance, insurance for the unem-
ployed. Roosevelt proposes-no federal unemploy-
ment insurance, but state reserves" laws which
apply only to those employed He proposes that
even this limited insurance come out of the peck
cts of the workers
Ifcse who had illusions that Roosevelt would
fulfill some of his election promises were dis
appointed. They can now see that the hopes of the
unemployed for unemployment insurance center
around the National Congress for Unemployment
INSURANCE, To be held in Washington D. c. Jan s.
and 7.
The Workers Unemployment and Social Insrr-
ar5e Bill which will be presented by this confer
ence, is printed in full in today's Daily Worker