The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-13
WAGNER READY
TO CARRY ON
LABOR BATTLE
N. Y. Senator to Push Fight
in New Congress for
Workers Rights.

J
WASHINGTON. Dec. Senator
Robert F. Wagner ID. N. ", who
sponsored the National Industry Re-
covery Act announced himself
ready today to carry on the fight
IN congress for perfection Of that
act by guaranteeing fully the rights
and security Of labor.
An independent. powerful labor
board TO settle industrial disputes,
virtual outlawing Of the company
union. and unemployment insurance
systems operated by the states with
Federal supervision are cardinal
points Of the legislative program
which he is now completing in con-
ferences here.
Another phase is a large public
works venture, centering about
housing, to provide jobs.
While some details of the Sena-
tors program remain to be worked
out in cooperation with President
Roosevelt and other officials. he
stands substantially where he did
last session when he took a position
in advance of the Administration
Then. however. he saw his labor
rights bill modified and his unem-
ployment insurance measure lost in
the fatal adjournment shuttle.
Returns From Europe
Developments since that time, the
confusion over Section IA and its
guaranty of collective bargaining,
the questions about the powers of
the National Labor Relations Board
all these make it imperative to
clarity and strengthen existing stat
utes. Senator Wagner holds.
His determination to complete the
job he began last session was boil
stored by vacation trip to Europe,
whence he has just returned. In
talks with English and French Off
Gals he found amazement that the
United States had not yet adopted
unemployment insurance or old
age pensions and was still haggling
over collective bargaining for labor.
They long ago accepted Collec-
tive bargaining" the Senator said,
land the United States is the only
industrial nation which does not
have unemployment insurance. Peo-
pie over there are unable to under
stand why there is any controversy
over these measures"
The New Yorker, who will be in
the forefront at the coming session
because of the reforms with which
he has become identified. has nearly
completed the draft of his labor
rights bill. He is counting on strong
support from President Roosevelt.
Seeks Supreme Court
The labor bill will be essentially
the same as the one he presented
last session, which means that it
will:
l. Reinforce the National Labor
Relations Board by making it an
independent supreme court of labor,
with broad powers to initiate nego-
tiations for settlement of labor dis
putes, and authority to subpoena wit
neses and compel submission of rec
ordS.
2. Prohibit employers from inter-
fering with any labor organization,
dominating it. or contributing to it
financially, which means, in effect,
outlawry of the company union
These features already are embodied
in the Railway Labor Act.
Senator Wagner is inclined to
think it unnecessary to write into
specific law the right of a majority
of employees in a given unit to speak
for all the workers in the unit, a
right proclaimed by the National
Labor Relations Board in the Houde
decision. In this possible phase of
the legislation, however, his mind is
still open.
Urges JobleSs Insurance
AS for unemployment insurance,
the Senator's bill will be virtually
the Wagner-Lewis bill of last ses-
sion. except that Federal Govern
ment supervision will be provided
This measure would virtually compel
states to set up their own systems.
This would be accomplished by a 5
per cent Federal tax on. pay rolls, to
be related to industries in states
which have unemployment inSur-
ance systems of their own meeting
specifications set forth in the act.
Unemployment insurance is, I
believe. too big a problem for the
government to handle on a national
basis the Senator explained. Il
still believe in some degree of state
rights. Also the state systems will
furnish a sort of laboratory from
which We may evolve the best sys-
tenn"
Senator Wagner has no patience
with demands from industrial quar-
tiers for delay TO permit further
study. He pointed out that COM
mittees of congress have made a
thorough study in the last few years,
TO which soon will be added the
findings of the committee on eco
nomic security headed by Frances
Perkins, Secretary of Labor.