The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-19
Southern Labor Heads To Meet on Georgia Troop Terri
Fight Is Urged
For Workers Bill
(C0HtinNed from Page y

legislation beneficial to them" Lun-
deem agreed.
''The Roosevelt Administrations
Wagner-Lewis Economic Security
Bill like so many Of the New Deal
measures. provides added security
only for the bankers and Industrial
lists who are firmly opposed to the
Workers Unemployment, Old Age,
and Social Insurance Bill" said Lun-
deem in beginning the interview.
He continued, enthusiastically:
members of Congress are already
hearing from the friends and sup
porters of the thousands of work.
ers, farmer, intellectual and profess
sional delegates who rallied around
the Workers Bill at the National
Congress for Unemployment Insur-
ance. This combined protest against
the Wagner-Lewis Bill and the de-
mand for the Workers Bill must be
sustained. The demands for sup
port of the Workers Bill must roll
into the offices of the members of
Congress like a mighty wave. Then
you'll see results. You know Con-
gressmen pay close attention to their
mail"
COnnery Support Significant
"Of course, you know that Chair
man Connery Of the House Labor
Committee has come out for the
Workers Bill" the interviewer in
formed Lundeen.
THE support of Chairman Con-
merry is very significant" he replied,
adding, growing Congressional sup
port will show the workers and poor
farmers that only by mass action
will they get legislation beneficial to
them. Otherwise they'll get what
they have gotten in the past two
years-more Roosevelt smiles and
more fiowery Roosevelt speeches
about the new order of things,
the more abundant life,' and the
American plan for the American
people while the blue cable bank
ers and industrialists will continue
in power"
Nov, Mr.. Lundeen, concerning
this talk about the American plan,
isn't the Workers Bill Americana"
IF it isn't American to support a
bill demanded by millions of half
starving and working Ameri-
can workers and farmers who make
the wheels go round, then I'd like
to know what is American" Lun-
deem shot back warmly.
"IS it American for the Wagner
Lewis Bill to pass the buck on I'M
employment insurance to the
StateS?"
II should say not" Lundeen an
swered quickly. "The only way the
workers and farmers of this coun-
try will get real unemployment in
surance is to make the Fedora
government and the employers
guarantee it instead of spending
more money for bombs, warshipS
and airplanes."
Shortcomings of New Deal Bill
what are the shortcomings of
the New Deal Wagner-Lewis Bill2'
I'm the first place, the Wagner
Lewis Bill ignores the great mass
Of those now unemployed. Second
besides proposing no unemployment
insurance, it recommends a payroll
tax which will come from the
pockets of the workers and farmers
and which in any event can't be-
come effective until 1896. Third, il
permits the States to enact any
kind of bill, for any period Of time
they see fit to adopt-or no bill al
all. The Workers Bill provides a
minimum of $40 a week and SO tc
each dependent for the entire period
of unemployment without any de-
lay"
How about the administration Of
the two bills?"
"You know, that's one of the
places where the Roosevelt admin
istration bill gives itself away"
Lundeen chuckled.
'How?"
"Why, by giving the administra-
ton of the bill solely to the Depart
ment of Labor, department which
opposed militant labor during the
crisis. Our bill, however, provides
for workers and farmers co-admin-
istration with the department Of
labor. And unlike the Wagner
Lewis Bill, it doesn't provide for any
large salaries to officials for admin
istering something that isn't unem-
ployment insurance"