Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-09
CONFEREES PUSH
SECURITY REPORT
Final Agreement Hoped For
Today After Long Night
Session.
BY j. A. OTEARY,

BY j. A OLEAkY.
Recovering at / O'Clock this aft
ernoon after a long session at the
Capital last night. conferees on the
national social security bin hope to
reach q final agreement today on
their differences. and prepare the
conference report for submission to
the House and Senate.
Settlement of the national bill will
clear the way for the Senate District
Committee to proceed with the three
local security measures-old-age PEN
SONS. blind pensions and unemploy-
ment insurance.
Interest in the conference report
on the national bill centers chiefly in
the Clark amendment by which the
Senate voted to allow industries to
operate their own retirement plans
if they equal or exceed the benefits Of
the proposed Federal old-age annuity
system.
Before the conferees began theiI
deliberations last night Senator
Clark. Democrat, of Missouri met
with them. presumably to explain ano
tefend his amendment, which the
Senate placed in the bill by a de-
cisive vote. The Clark amendment
has no connection with the local old
age pension bills here and in the
States, because those measures are
intended to take care of needy per-
sons who are already at the retire
ment age Of IS. They are to receive
gratuity payments in which the Gov
eminent will participate.
Joint Tax Plan.
The Clark amendment relates to
the Federal old-age insurance system
set-up in other sections Of the bill,
under which wage-earners and their
employers would be taxed at the same
rate TO build up a reserve for retire
ment in years to come. Pointing out
that many concerns all over the coun-
try already operate retirement plans,
and that considerable number of
them offer greater benefits than the
proposed bill, Senator Clark won Sen
ate approval for the exemption Of
such plans. Its fate rests with the
conferees.
Other important Senate changes the
conferees are about to pass on are:
The La Toilette amendment, allow
ing States to adopt the Wisconsin
plan Of separate company reserves for
unemployment insurance, If they pre-
fer that to the Statewide pool system,
and authorizing reductions in the pay
roll tax for employers who stabilize
employment.
The Russell amendment, authoriZ-
ing the Social Security Board to pay
up to SIS a month for q period of
two years as a Federal pension TO
needy old persons in States which
have not passed laws for matching
these Federal grants.
The Senate amendment authorizing
Federal aid for pensions to the blind
on q matching basis with the States
Amendment Hit.
Representative Ellenbogeu. Demo
crat, Of Pennsylvania, author Of the
local unemployment insurance bill in
the House, took the position today
that the amendment he has heard
proposed to the measure in the Sen
ate would be detrimental
ANY of the changes that have been
brought to my attention would not
improve, but would weaken, the bill"
he said. Ellenbogen said he could not
say what the House will do If the bill
is rewritten, but expressed his per-
sonal view as follows:
If the changes are going to de-
stroy the essence Of the bill We might
as well not have bill"
One of the amendments the Com
missiouers have suggested to the Sen
ate-namely, to give employers credit
by reducing the tax when they stabi-
lie employment - was recommended
originally when the House District
Committee reported the bill. 1t was
changed on the floor of the House to
eliminate the reduction, but retaining
the increase in the tax when employ
meut is not stabilized. At that time.
however, the national security bill did
not allow for the tax reduction credit.
Since then the Senate has added that
feature to the national bill and the
conferees may reach their decision on
it today. Most of the other changes
asked by the Commissioners are to
eliminate House provisions which
would make the District bill go be-
yond national requirements or State
laws.