Evening star., 1935-06-27
BY J. A. O'LEARY.


A plea not to use the District Of
Columbia as an experimental ground
by making its unemployment insur-
ance law more drastic than the ne-
tional social security bill or any Of the
proposed State laws was presented to
the Senate subcommittee yesterday
afternoon by District ofacias and
spokesmen for local organizations.
The witnesses were not objecting to
Unemployment legislation, but urged
the Senate to amend the Ellenbogen
bill as 1t came from the House to con-
form to the national bill. The sub
committee Is composed Of Senators
Copeland Of New York and Capper Of
Kansas, who hope to complete the
hearings this afternoon. Chairman
King of the Senate District Commit
tee also attended the meeting.
Three Changes Urged.
Speaking for the Commissioners,
Corporation Counsel Prettyman urged
these three important changes In the
House bill:
Elimination Of the requirement that
the District government supplement
the per cent employers pay roll tax
by q contribution Of more than .
million dollars year from the tax
payers generally. The House bill
would require the District to pay q
sum equal to per cent Of the pay roll
Of the employers affected.
Placing administration Of the local
law under o local rather than Q Fed
eral board.
Make provision. either now or at
some time later. for m employees con-
tribution II experience shows 1t rec
essary.
Immediate Start Deplered.
Other witnesses deplored the pro-
vision In the House bill which starts
the employers pay roll tax ct . per
cent Immediately. whereas the Federal
bill increases the tax gradually from
l per cent now to per cent in 1888.
Attention also was called to the fact
that the House bill would raise the
tax later on, anywhere from to S
per cent, on an employer with poor
record for stabilizing work, without
allowing any reduction in the tax be-
low per cent when an employer
shows o good record for keeping men
steadily employed.
Representative Ellenbcgen. who sat
with the Senate subcommittee, ex-
pressed . willingness 70 have the bill
make provision for this reduction In
tax on q good showing, as was origi-
nally intended by him, before the
House changed it. The House mem
Der, however. defended placing the
ultimate 3 per cent tax on District
employers Immediately, on the ground
that the District is able to meet 1t.
Rail Ofiicial Complains.
Sidney 8. Alderman. general So
licitor for the Southern Railway Sys-
TEN, called attention ~ another in
consistency by starting benefit pay
ments in the District after one year,
while the national plan is to have
benefits start after two years.
Among others who testified yester-
day were: Board Of Trade, Robert
J. Cottrell: Merchants and Manufac-
turers' Association, John K. Althaus.
When the hearing resumes today the
subcommittee will hear Rufus 9. Lusk
Of the Washington Taxpayers Pro-
tective Association and James Med.
Shea of the Building Owners and
Managers Association.
After attention had been called to
the various ways in which the Ellen
bogen bill goes beyond what the States
or the national bill are proposing.
Commissioner Allen pointed out that
the national plan may be amended
as time goes on. Then he added:
1--WE don't like the idea of having
the District made the guinea pig"
won't Experiment on Others"
"In other words" observed Senator
King, "you want others as well as
the District to be experimented on"
Before ticking UP the unemployment
insurance question. the subcommittee
quickly completed hearings on the 10
cal old-age and blind pension bills
but will not take formal action until
discussion Of the unemployment meas
ure also is concluded. Most of the
amendments to these two pension
bills were offered by Mr.. Prettyman
merely to comply with the standards
In the national bill. which must be
met before the District could share
In the Federal aid to be extended In
meeting these pensions.
There was some discussion, how
ever, of clause the Commissioners
suggested, both in the old-age and