Evening star., 1935-08-11
LOCAL SECURITY
TO Be CONSIDERED
/. BY SENATE GROUP
Changes to EIIenbogen Job.
less Insurance Measure
to Be Submitted.
SESSION BY WEDNESDAY
PREDICTED BY KING
Plan to Require City Government
to Contribute to Unemployment
Fund Is Opposed.

The Senate District Committee will
meet not later than Wednesday to act
on the three District social security
bills, and possibly few other local
measures that have passed the House,
Chairman King said yesterday.
Two of the measures necessary to
apply the national social security pro-
gram to Washington-the old-age and
blind pension bills-are virtually in
shape to be reported as soon as the
committee meets.
Legislative experts also have been
studying and revising the Ellenbogen
unemployment insurance bill, so as to
be ready to advise the committee on
proposed changes. The District Com
missioners and a number of local or
ganizations have petitioned the Sen
ate committee to amend the Ellen
bogen bill to bring it into line with
the standards of the national bill and
the trend Of laws enacted thus far
in the States. The city heads have
pointed out that the House bill would
make the District law more drastic
than any adopted In the States.
One of the main changes requested
was elimination of the requirement
that the District Government pay into
the unemployment fund a contribu-
ton, raised by taxation, equal to l
per cent of the pay rolls Of the en-
ployers affected. This would amount
to at least 81 ,250, 900 year, and would
be in addition to the payroll tax on
employers.
Graduated Plan Predicted.
1t already has been indicated that
the Senate committee will apply the
pay roll tax gradually at l per cent
in 1896, per cent in 1887 and 3
per cent thereafter. as in the ma
tional bill, instead Of per cent from
the start, as in the House bill.
Another proposal is to allow re-
duction in the tax when an employer
stabilizes work in his establishment,
which is sanctioned in the national
bill. The House bill requires an in
crease in the tax when an employer
has a poor record for providing steady
employment, but at the time the
House acted, provision had not been
written into the national bill allow
ing a corresponding reduction when
men are kept steadily employed.
Another question before the Lom-
mittee is to decide on the number of
employees to be used as a standard
in determining whether an employer
will be subject to the unemployment
insurance law. Still another requested
change would place supervision Of the
law in q local rather than a Federal
agency.
Chairman King has indicated he is
desirous of having the legislation con-
form, as nearly as possible, to the
| wishes Of District residents. Senate
action is expected to be taken prompt
ly, once the committee has decided on
the amendments and reported the bills.
President to Sign Soon.
Meanwhile, the national social Sc
| curity measure was ready to be laid
before the President to be signed this
week. Secretary of Labor Perkins,
who was chairman of the Presidents
Committee on Economic Security, is
sued a statement yesterday declaring
passage of the social security bill
means that in future this will be a
better country in which to live.
"As the different States act on un-
employment insurance, old-age pen
sions, security Of children and extern
sion of preventive health services, our
people will have real measure of Sc
curity," Miss Perkins said. These
measures, by helping to maintain pur-
chasing power, will be of substantial
value as partial preventives in posi-
bic future depreSsions.
II have advocated such legislation
as this for IS years, and now that
Congress has shown the way I know
it will be enacted by the different
States, because the people need it,
understand it and want it. The So
cial security program is one of the
most forward-looking pieces of legis-
lation in the interest Of wage earners
in the entire history of the United
States. 1t is a great satisfaction to
see the foundation stone laid in q Sc
curity structure which aims to pro-
tect our people against the major
hazards Of life"