Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-02
Jobs Insurance Bill Changes
Urged by District Officials
Hold Measure Should Not Go Beyond
National Act, Citing Stability-Ask
Removal of Pay Roll Tax.

stable. Violent fluctuations in en-
ployment conditions are rare. The
relations between employers and en-
ployes are on a high plane. So, as
an experimental locale, the District
is not likely to furnish the data upon
which valuable conclusions can be
promised. No material could be
gathered here which would be of the
highest value in an industrial, an
agricultural, mining, or a maritime
community. For all these reasons, as
we have suggested, we urge that the
local bill be patterned after the ma
tional act.
Oppose Pay Roll Tax.
I'VE propose among the amend
ments outlined above that the pro-
posed contributions Of the District
government, equal to per cent Of all
pay rolls, be stricken. We urge this
for several reasons.
81. A matter of finance. The Dis
trict has not this million and half
unless it be for powerfully COM
polling reason. 1t is said that this
expenditure will affect an expendi-
ture otherwise necessary for relief.
But we do not believe that to be the
case in the District; it may be so in
an industrial center. We believe that
at least 10 per cent of our people on
relief were not formerly employed by
concerns having four or more en-
ployes, or were not formerly regularly
employed. In other words, our I'M
employed are largely from domestic
servants and casual labor The insur-
ance offered by this legislation would
not touch this large class. now on our
relief rolls. So in time of depression.
the protection of these funds would
not affect the demand for relief.
~. The effect of this District con-
tribution Is to increase the period Of
benefit payments from l6 weeks to
20 weeks. The Federal act contem-
plates only Is weeks. Unless many Of
the States extend this period we be-
lieve that it is extremely unwise to in
crease it in the District. The effects
of doing so would be to attract to the
District many thousands Of persons of
the class who desire to work a
minimum length of time for the
maximum of pay while not working
In other words, it would tend to make
the District a haven for such I'M
employed as wish to be unemployed.
Such a result would vastly increase
the Districts relief burden and might
SO increase the supply of labor as to
cause decreases in the number Of en-
ployes steadily and regularly employed.
State Measures Cited.
"3. None Of the five States which
have this type Of insurance require q
governmental contribution, and no
bill. so far as we can learn, has been
proposed in any State to require such
q contribution. We believe 1t very
unwise to put the District entirely out
Of line, not only with the Federal act,
but with all the States.
"a. A minor, but nevertheless sound,
reason is that it seems unfair to use
District tax money to pay unemploy-
ment benefits to non-residents of the
District It is proper that employers
contributions should be used to pay
benefits to their employees, no matter
where the benefciaries be resident
But when you come to deal with tax
money, a different consideration arises
The expenditure of tax funds is by
custom limited to the area from which
the tax is derived.
I'VE propose, among the amend
ments mentioned above, that the ad.
ministration Of this law be in local
rather than in Federal, hands. 1t i.
basic belief Of this board that thu
executive authority in the District
should be in the hands Of those off.
Gals appointed by the President, with
the consent Of the Senate, for thai
purpose. There is already too much
diffusion and dissipation Of executive
authority in the District. We there.
fore oppose further increase in thi.
confusion. After all, these are loca
funds. 1t is a local problem, the EN-.
ployers are local concerns. We be-
lieve that a local board should admin.
lister this local law.
Ask Federal Contribution.
I'VE also propose, among the amend
ments mentioned above, that the Dis
| trict Government contribute as al
employer only in respect to such O
its employees as are not now covered
by the retirement act and that tn,
Federal Government similarly con,
tribute as an employer in the District
We have on our relief rolls many per
sons formerly employed as casual Ia.
Dor by the Federal Government. Sucl
part-time employees as are covered b,
the retirement act are usually II
stable employment and are protected
by the per cent currently collected
under that act.
For many and obvious reasons W.
do not attempt to discuss the many
basic problems involved in the ma.
tional act. We wish you also to I'm.
derstand that, by this report, we d.
not assume responsibility for the pro.
visions. the construction or the phrase.
ology of H. r. 1857, the local bill. Ou
comments and proposed amendment.
are addressed solely and exclusivel!
to the two purposes Of bringing tht
local act, taking it as it is now writ.
ten. into conformity with the socia
security act, giving the local law 6
local administration, and the othel
respects specifically mentioned above
GIRL-WIFE KILLS MATE