The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-14
Macy Yorker
Urges Backing
For II, r. 1927
BY a Worker Correspondent

NEW YOHk-A month ago the
secretary of the National Youth
Congress wrote letter to the Macy
Social Service calling for delegate
to a Regional Conference. Support
was urged for a youth movement
that embraces Y.M.C.A's, Y.MHA.'s,
churches, student and other organi-
cations united against war and for
did not answer.
In the New York Post Of Jan. 8,
the following item appeared The
Retail Merchants Association has
unanimously elected a committee
Of three dneluding Percy S. Strauss
to act with representatives from
other cities on pending unemploy-
ment insurance legislation"
Has our management changed
heart? Is it possible that after the
mass lay-off Of thousands of Macy
employees on Christmas and New
Years Eve. Mr.. Straus rspents and
feels s0msthing ought to be done
about it? The recommendation
that were urged UPON the commit
tee show that Mr.. Strauss first con-
Germ is profits. The Merchants AS
sooiatien wants legislation that is
economically sound" and socially
just"
Our experience with the Macy
Mutual Aid proves to us that what
Mr.. Straus means by Economically
sound" and socially Just" would
be unemployment insurance out CT
our pockets to be administered by
himself and his executives.
Nevertheless r. H. Macy g. Co.
was represented at the National
Congress for Unen and
Social Insurance, by a Macy worker.
Two million people sent $500 dele
gates to deliberate on the need for
social security. Since Mr.. Roosevelt
in his January 4 speech washes the
hands of the Federal government
clean Of the business of relief, ex-
cept for five million unemployables
that will be given forced labor Jobs,
it is up to us.
The KEYNOTE of the Congress was
sounded by Mary Van Kleek. Of the
Russell Sage Foundation, in her
analysis of the principle of social
and unemployment insurance at the
expense of the employers and the
government. The systems establish
ed in England, Germany and Russia
were discussed, We found out that
any system of unemployment insur-
anes that calls for contributions
from the employees defeats itself.
Unemployment insurance to be
administered by the workers is a
new principle in democratic govern
ment.
When Mr.. Ickes OF the P.WA., Mr..
Hopkins of the F.E.R.A.. Mr.. Nc
Intyre, Rooseyelt's secretary, and
Mr.. McGrady, Assistant Secretary
Of Labor, were visited by delegations
including your correspondent. they
soft-soape u.s. The administration
will do nothing. When Mr.. McGrady
was told of the thousands of miners
wives in West Virginia who must
give fat pork to their children in
place Of milk, he almost cried and
said, Eyes, nine million children
suffer from malnutrition through
out the country" and offered to
send the mother a booklet on child
care. What is nseded is money!
said the mother and urged that he
support the bill He said that the
department of labor was studying
II bills and had not yet arrived at
any conclusions.
Although the present Congress is
under a gag rule that makes it nee
essary for 218 congressman to sign
the round robin before bill comes
to the floor, united action can force
through the Workers Bill. Senator
Huey Long, Congressman Connery,
Lundeen and others. Norman
Thomas, the Communist Party. six
international Unions and $500
locals of the A. F. of L. have al
ready expressed their approval of
the bill.
Just as we were urged by Mr..
Straus two years ago, in his interest,
to bring pressure on our local Con-
gressmen against the sales tax, so
today in our own interest we must
write to our local Congressman to
endorse the Workers Unenploy-
msnt, Old Age and Social Insur-
ance Bill CHR. 2S2D.