Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-12-19
PENSION BILL
LEADS LIST
Old Age Security Legisla-
ton Draws Lawmakers
Arguments Pro, Con.
Unemployment, Relief and
Other Matters Get POr-
ton of Attention.
BY HJALMAR PETERSEN,
Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota

By HJALMAR PETERSEN.
Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota
Week of Dec. 9 to 14)
Short sessions of both Houses of the
Legislature marked the opening OF
the second week of the special legisla-
tive session. To the uninitiated it
would appear that little was being
accomplished but as a matter of fact,
most of the work in the early days
of either a special or regular session
is done in committees.
To Speed Action.
The action of both Houses reported
last week of referring all bills intro
duced to the Rules Committee acts
as stop gag" but at the same
time serves to speed up social secur-
ity legislation, and after all, that is
what the special session was called
for.
the Senate Finance committee, served
notice on the Legislature this week
that there will be no new tax meas
ures approved by his committee, not
even for old age pensions. When ap-
pealed to by the majority leaders that
at least some of Governor Olson's tax
items be recognized to furnish funds
for old age pensions. the Senator said:
II am locking the door to my COM
mittee room and throwing the key
away"
VIII Relief Funds Pay Pension?
Senator Rockne suggests that ST.
100000 Of the $5,OOO.OOO relief funds
be used to finance old age pensions.
This $5,O00,000 relief fund is the sec
ond half of the S1O,O0O,O0O relief fund
appropriated at the regular session
and will not be available until July
1. 1886. The first 100000 has been
exhausted and on Tuesday, l.. P. Zim-
norman, SERA administrator. asked
the special session to give the execu-
tive council authority to use the
$4,000, 900 balance of relief funds APP
propriated for use after July 1, 1885,
beginning January 1st. This he said
would alleviate conditions now espe-
cially grave in the three largest coun-
ties, Ramsey, Hennepin and st. Louis.
He also asked the Legislature to pro-
vide or request the federal govern
ment for between SIT, 900, 900 and $780,
100000. which he anticipated will be
needed for 1896 relief purposes.
Unemployment Insurance Hearing.
The first public hearings on social
security legislation were held this
week. In the hearing on unemploy-
ment insurance in the Senate Tues
day afternoon, two plans were before
the legislators. Their principal diff
ference is that the one supported by,
the majority groups in both Houses
calls for a pay roll tax against en-
ployers and contributions by employees
at a rate of one-half that paid by the
employers. while the other. supported
by the progressives. places no levy
against the employees. The bill sup
ported by the progressives provides
for q pay roll tax against all employ
ers, except farmers and others ex-
empted in the federal act, while the
roll tax to employers of eight or more.
TIE opposition to unemployment
insurance naturally is championed by
the large manufacturers and their
spokesman. A conservative rural
newspaperman from northern Mime
sofa, a modern Jeff Davis" while not
going so far as to advocate secession.
did strongly urge the non-passage Of
social security legislation. and he at
tackled the existing system of taxa
tion, which he said penalized local
governments which tried to function
economically only to have the state
and federal units impose per capita
assessments many times in excess Of
local taxes. He contended that an
assessment against industry to sup
port the unemployment insurance act
might be disastrous and that should
Minnesota lead a revolt other states
might be expected to join in a move
ment in protest. looking toward pos
sible repeal Of that phase of the fed
eral social security act.
The writer of this column is a
staunch supporter for enforcement of
n revised corporate excess tax and is
convinced that it would solve the
financing Of necessary social security
legislation. II is estimated that a
60 mill or 81. e. tax on full value
would raise s2o.ooO.0O a year. more
than twice as much as needed to pay
the cost Of old age pensions.
Seed Loans Being Paid.
A summarized report by the state
auditor and administrator Of the Min
nesota State Seed Loan was presented
to the Legislature during the past
week and contains the following in
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