The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-12-10

Offered by the labor members of the Council at its last meeting in October, the plan would give life pensions to annuity holders who become permanently disabled. Employe members vigorously op- posed 1t as impractical. Labor ties retorted that the Veterans Bureau had encountered no diffi- culty in administering such in- surance in the 20-year old gov- ernment War Risk policies.
 The proposal was barely turned down by seven to six, the decid- ing vote being cast unexpectedly by Prof. Paul Douglas of the Uni- versity of Chicago. A crusading liberal, Douglas represents the public on the Council. Previously he had always lined up with tht labor members, but on this issue he told them that with great re- luctance" he would have to vote with the employers.
 Because @ number of Council members were absent, the rebuffed laborites served notice they would renew their proposal at this months meeting.
 The session will be the last held by the Council, which was set up by the last Congress to formulate changes in the Social Security law. These liberaliZa- tions, some sweeping in nature, will be reported to congress after the Council accepts or rejects them.
 More and Bigger Pensions
 Among the proposals to be bal- loted on by the Council are:
 1. To increase annuity benefit payments so that both husband and wife receive pensions. That is, if the husband is entitled to $50 month his wife would re- ceive an additional $25 a month as long as she lived. While both are alive they would have a joint income of $75 month.
 2. If the wife is entitled to a pension of her own, she would have the choice between hers and half of her husbands, whichever gave her the larger income.
 3. The widow of a pensioner, upon reaching the age of 65, would receive 75 per cent of the monthly benefit her husband would have received had he lived.
 4. Monthly benefit payments for dependent children of annu- ity holders who die before 65.
 5. Increase the present federal contribution for the aged from $15 to $20 a month. This would permit states to add a similar sum, thus boosting pensions to a maximum of $40 monthly.
 G.. Lower the age limit from 65 to 60 years, thereby making eligi- ble hundreds of thousands of needy who are excluded by the present law.
 2. Increase the federal contri- button for indigent children from one-third to one-half. This would equalize state and federal grants. Colored Water
 A group of Northern high-school students, on a tour of TWAS Nor- ris Dam, went into the visitors room of the powerhouse. They saw two drinking fountains, one marked white, the other marked "CoIored".
 They crowded about the sec- Ond fountain, shouting, 'IetS see the colored water!"
 Libelous Testimony
 Latest unique contribution of the Dies committee to the lore of congressional investigations is an unprecedented legal action.
 For the first time in the history of probes 8 witness is being sued for alleged libelous statements. Plaintiff is Vincent Favorito, labor organizer, who is seeking $100, 900 damages from John P. Frey, vet eran head of the AFL metal trades department, in a Cleveland court.
 During his anti-CiO fusillades before the Dies group, Frey made the statement that testi- mony before the I.aF0llette Civil Liberties committee had ex- posed Favorito as an under cover operator, or, in plain words, a labor spy"
 The records of the LaFollette committee contain nothing to sup port this charge, so Favorito is after Frey's scalp, with Edward Lamb of Toledo, executive vice president of the National Lawyers Guild, yielding the legal scalpel for him.
 Among lawyers the suit is be- ing watched with great interest as 1t raises a question never be- fore tested, whether a witness be-