The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-11-15
Unemployed Leader Demands
Real Insurance for Workers;
AssGiIs Fake Social Schemes
insists That Bill Be
Enacted By Congress
at Next Session
By Marguerite Young
DAILY Worker Washington Bureau)


WASHINGTON, D. c.. Nov. IA
Herbert Benjamin of the National
Unemployment Council today
tossed an unsolicited and en-
phatic call for genuine unemploy-
ment insurance based upon the
needs of all those now unemployed
and not a makeshift based on the
convenience of those who will paw
for it," into the Roosevelt confer
ence on economic security.
CONSERVATION and some applause
from the more progressive of the
200 bourgeois experts" greeted the
working class declaration. Ben
jamin joined the general discussion
with the remark. ut was quite
consistent from the viewpoint of
those running this conference that
we We're not inyited-and equally
consistent from our point of view
that we are here" Then he out
lined the Workers Unempl- ut
and Social Insurance Bill an in
sisted that its principles must be
enacted by the new Congress.
Voices Of reaction, emphasizing
the need for unemployment re-
serves" - instead of unemployment
inSurance-and pickering over de-
tails Of such schemes, dominated
the conference. This served to
emphasize that the purpose of the
assembling of so many experts"
as clearly indicated yesterday by
Secretary Of Labor Frances Per-
kins, is to lay basis of scientific
approval for the corporation
serye-pian substitute for insurance.
Such a plan probably will be rec
commended by the cabinet members
composing the Roosevelt committee
on economic security.
There was one striking exceo-
ton. Grace Abbott. former head
OF the U. S. Childrens Bureau.
declared on behalf of social work.
ers"; we don't want any relent-
lessly drawn lines between unem-
ployed on relief and others in need
OF public aid. We want decent
self-respecting security for every-
one. We want benefits for widows,
the sick, the handicapped-benefts
that will give everyone a decent.
sef-respecting security"
Psuedo-Insurance Schemes
In contrast, the overwhelming
majority of the invited guests pro-
posed raactionary psuedo-insurance
reserves schemes. Prof. Paul Doug
las, prominent supporter of Social
list Party candidates, unblushingly
demanded a reserve plan which
would not vouchsafe one penny to
the millions now unemployed. re-
strict the benefits to 20 to Is weeks
per year, and exclude all agricul-
tural and public service workers.
President to Meet Conferees
The conference members were to
be received late today by President
Roosevelt. Secretary Perkins and
Secretary of Commerce Roper were
10 address them at dinner. Among
them today was President William
Green of the A. F. of L., Gerard
SWope of the General Electric COM
pany and others of the special al
viSory council, which, dominated by
big business, will do the real work
of selecting corporation substitute
for unemployment insurance, pri-
vately, in the next few weeks. This
was signalled again today when the
chairman met a demand for put
ting the conference on record by
resolution with the pointed remark
that he had no instructions that to-
days conference was ito do any
thing but talk"
Many speakers insisted that work.