The Washington times., 1936-01-31
JOB INSURANCE
BILL FACING
FLOOR FIGHT
BY A STAFF CORRESPONDENT


RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 31.-After
nearly two hours Of argument in
favor of a Virginia law parallel
ing the Federal unemployment
insurance act, the Senate Finance
Committee today unanimously re-
ported out the Battle Unemploy'
ment Insurance bill. The II mem
bers of the committee voted.
However, there was no recon-.
mendation accompanying the bill
as it left the committee.
The committee was badly split
and it was decided, Senator Au'
brey G.. Weaver, Front Royal,
said, to send the bill to the floor
and let it be fought out there.
He said:
1--WE did not want to be in the
position of SmOthering or kill
ing legislation. This bill is en-
tirely too important to have
been killed in committee, al
though there was much OppOsi.
ton to it In the committee. We
put it on the floor where all
can vote as they see fit"
Senator Battle, Of Albemarle,
patron of the administration
measure. told the committee that
only industrialists are fighting
the measure and that the silence
of department store owners and
other employers of labor is Signifi'
cant.
He argued that it will be
better for Virginia to have the
law and draw some benefit from
the Federal law than to have no
law at all and see the money
taxed out Of Virginia employers
poured into the Federal Treasury
and then spent in States which
have laws which put them in the
Federal act.
Committee Divided
From the line of questioning
servers believe the committee is
divided about evenly. Senator
Aubrey G. Weaver. Front Royal,
remarked at one of the hearings,
referring to the Federal act:
at looks like hold-up to me-"
The senate roads committee
also is having it's troubles. H. G.
Shirley, Virginia Highway Com
missioner, told the committee, in
fighting the bill which would put
two miles of streets in towns in
the secondary system Of high.
ways:
"You will add to already top
heavy maintenance costs
frankenstein monster that ulti-
mately will destroy u.s."
Mr.. Shirley said the taking in
of such streets would add approx.
mately $50 miles to the secondary
system and would cost about
$225, 900 a year to maintain. Con-
struction and maintenance Of pri-
mary and secondary highways is
at a standstill now, Mr.. Shirley
said, with his department approx
mately 100000 in the hole.
Liquor Bill Reported
The senate general laws COM
mittee has reported out the ad-
ministration bill strengthening
the alcoholic beverages control
act but without the search and
seizure clauses. It was amended
to give courts the right to suspend
sentence upon those convicted Of
manufacturing liquor illegally and
a fight is promised on one Of its
provisions to allow prosecutors to
introduce as evidence previous
convictions Of violations Of the
A. B. C. act. Cars will not be con-
fiscated If no more than q quart
of illegal (untaxedO liquor is
found in the car.
The house committee on labor
and the poor reported out, 7-6.
the women's eight-hour labor bill.
The vote of Delegate Henry M.
Bandy, of Wise, chairman, was
the deciding vote which sent the
bill to the floor.
Old-age pensions would have
little effect on relief lists in Vir-
GINA, William A. Smith, Works
Progress administrator, told the
old-age pensions committee yes
terday. He guessed" only a very
small part of the States aged
needy we're economic heads of
families. He said the number of
aged needy in the State could be
set fairly accurately at ITO. Mr..
Smith said in addition to the
1000 aged needy a recent survey
had disclosed there were many
other persons Of more than IS
years of age who were definitely