The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-11-03
Ohio s Unemployment
Compensation Low
Organized Labor Fought
For Years To Place Law
On Statute Books
(By Ohio Labor News Seryice)

Vii, 0tOlOlS DOCKS
(By Ohio Labor News Service)
Editors Notc:-This is the first of
a series of articles explaining Ohio's
Unemployment Compensation Law,
which enters into it's most important
phase on January l, 1939-the pay
ment of benefits. This first article gives
the historical background of the law.
Subsequent articles will explain the
administration, benefit procedure and
eligibility and other features Of the
law with which every workingman and
woman should be familiar.
Ohio's Unemployment Compensa-
ton law, one of the greatest social
legislative measures ever placed on
the statute books for the benefit of
workingmen and women Of the State,
will become an effective reality for
those thousands it safeguards on
January /, 1889, when benefit pay
ments will be made to unemployed who
are eligible to participation in an es-
stimated $110,O0O,000 fund created
during the past two years.
Behind this law which guarantees
small measure of economic security
to Ohio workers during periods of un-
employment lies story of long hard
fought battles in Committees Of Ohio
General Assemblies by the Ohio State
Federation of Labor; serious and con-
scientious study by a Commission ap-
pointed by Governor George White "to
investigate the practicability and ad
visibility Of setting up unemployment
reserves or insurance funds to provide
against the risk of unemployment"
The first unemployment compensa-
ton law was introduced in the 89th
General Assembly by Ohio in 1881 at
the instigation of the Ohio State Fed
Grafton of Labor. 1t passed the House
Of Representatives, but failed to re-
ceive favorable consideration in the
Senate.
This first effort resulted, however, in
arousing the interest of large num-
ber of social minded leaders in every
field of endeavor in the State, and
joint resolution was adopted by the
Legislature authorizing Governor
George White to appoint Commission
to make a study of the proposal and
report it's findings and recommenda-
tions.
The Commission appointed by Gov
ernor White consisted of w. M. Lei
serson, Yellow Springs, Professor Of
Economics, Antioch College, Chairman;
Thomas j. Donnelly, Secretary-Treas-
urer of the Ohio State Federation of
Labor, Columbus, Secretary; Professor
Gordon Hayes, Ohio State University;
w. F.. Kirk, Port Clinton, Master of
Ohio Grange; James F. Lincoln, Cleve-
land, president of the Lincoln Electric
Company; Amy G. Maher, Toledo, Di-
rector. of Information Bureau on
Women's Work; Stanley B. Mathew
son, Secretary Manager, Springfield
Chamber of Commerce; |. M. Rubinow,
Cincinnati, Secretary of B'nai Birth;
A. H. Silver, Cleveland Rabbi; Stephen
M. Young, Cleveland attorney, and
Edwin S. Burdell, Department of So
ciology, Ohio State University.
Miss Elizabeth S. Magee, Cleveland,
Executive Secretary of the Con-
sumers' League Of Ohio, was appointed
executive secretary of the Commission.
Two reports were submitted by the
Commission. The first, on October
26, 1892, contained the conclusions of
the Commission and recommended leg
islation. The second, on January 26,
1888, gave complete record of the
studies and reports of the Commiss-
ion.
Legislation recommended by the
Commission was introduced in the Goth
General Assembly in 1888, but the
measure failed to receive favorable
consideration in the Senate after be-
ing approved by the House of Repre-
sentatives.
An unemployment compensation bill
was introduced in the 91st General
Assembly in 1885, where it again re-
ceived the approval of the House of
Representatives, but was held up in
a special Senate Committee for
months.
In 1885, Congress passed the Social
Security Act, which, under Title TX,
proposed to bring about national
system of state unemployment insur-
ance organizations by levying an ex-
else tax on employers payrolls. Ninety
per cent of this tax, under the Act,
was to be set aside in special fund,
credited to employers as paid for sup
port of unemployment insurance pro-
grams in the various states.
When the United States Supreme