The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-04
Organized Workers Report
ed Dissatisfied With
JobIess Bill.
CHANGES ARE URGED
Ask Minimum Limit to Be
Set at Employers
of Four.
(Other Details on Page 3 and ~
BY JAMES DOSS

Organized labor of Indiana
today voiced dissatisfaction
with the state administra-
tons unemployment compen-
Sation bill to be introduced in
the special session of the In
diana General Assembly start
ing at 10 tomorrow.
Adolph j. Fritz, Indiana State
Federation of Labor secretary. said
labor objects to the proposal to
limit the compensation awards to
workers employed by employers of
eight or more persons.
The provision labor feels, accord
ing to Mr.. Fritz, should be changed
to apply to employers of four or
more workers, thus bringing more
persons benefits.
1t is difficult to outline all of
labor's objections and possible objec-
tons to the unemployment COM
pensation and other social security
bills because labor leaders have had
little opportunity to study them, &C
cording to Mr.. Fritz.
Object to Reserve System
1.-The job insurance bill has been
rewritten so often you can't keep
track of it," Mr. Fritz said.
The federation leader said labor
also is inclined to object to the
individual reserve system set up in
the bill and believes a state pool of
all funds would be a more equitable
arrangement AS the bill now
stands, employers are permitted to
establish individual reserves for
their own employees from which only
one-sixth of the levy would go to
the state pool.
If the individual reserve system
is maintained, Mr.. Fritz said labor
may insist that the balance reserve
requirement be raised before en-
ployer lavies are allowed to cease
under the so-called merit rating
system"
Advocate Higher Balance
The bill now provides for a
diminution of rates after 1910, fix
ing a sliding scale based on the
percentage of the employers pay
roll remaining in the reserve &C
count. Size of the balance would
be determined by low labor turn
over which would require few I'M
employment compensation pay
ments.
The figure at which levies are
permitted to lapse is fixed now in
the bill at a 1919 per cent balance.
Mr.. Fritz said he believed the bal
ance should be at least Is per cent.
Organized labor will insist that
there be no discrimination against
strikers in payment of unemploy-
ment compensation benefits, Mr..
Fritz said.
Seek Unbiased Witnesses
I'VE intend to bring in witnesses
whose testimony we are sure will be
unbiased" Mr. Fritz declared. 1T
may be that their views will coin
eide with the bills provision. If
so, We will go along with it, but We
are determined that organized la
boris interests shall be protected. -
There also we're hints that diSSat-
isfied Democrats might join with
minority members on opposition to
home rule" features of the welfare
bill and enactment of other bills.
Significantly, Gov McNutt today
appointed two township trustees as
members of the Governors Unem-
ployment Relief Commission, but
denied it was done at the insistence
of the Indiana County and Tom,
ship Officials Association, leading
home rule" advocates.
Tie trustee positions had not
been filled before, although the APP
pointments were authorized in the
law creating the commission.
No Gag" Rule in Senate
The appointees are Elmer j. Fox
Democrat, Fort Wayne, and John
Fowler, Republican, Bloomington.
Administration leaders took cog
nizance last night of the opposition
rapidly being organized to the So
called model social security program
prepared by joint legislative COM
mittee.
Lieut.. Gov. M. Clifford Townsend
announced there would be no gag
rule in the upper House and that
he anticipates introduction of bills
other than the Administration social
security measures.
Speaker OF the House Edward H.
Stein has expressed similar views.
Leaders OF both houses contem-
plate attempts to pass resolutions
tomorrow, thus clearing the calen-
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