Evening star., 1940-04-04
Move 10 Block
Hasty Action
On Job|ess Bill
Further Hearings
On LiberuIized D. G.
Measure Demanded

measure Demanded
Several members of the Judiciary
Subcommittee of the House District
Committee today planned to block
q move by Chairman McGehee to
report favorably to the full District
Committee Monday his revised bill
to nberalize the unemployment COM
pensation law without further pub
lie hearings.
Representative MsGehee has said
he believed sufficient public hear
ings already had been held on pro-
posals to modify the Unemployment
Compensation Act.
However, Representative Dirksen,
Republican, of Illinois, member of
the subcommittee, declared a bill
embodying such important changes
and expenditures of many millions
of dollars should be given the most
thorough airing" possible before
being reported to the House.
Expresses Views.
Mr.. Dirksen, who sat with the
District Unemployment Compensa-
ton Board two weeks ago when its
members conferred with officials OF
the Social Security Administration,
declared:
II have listened to explanations
at length from persons represent
ing various points of view We are
going to have trouble enough in the
House If we report bill that men,
bers might suspect of disturbing
similar legislation in their respec-
tive States. It has been my expe-
rience that one makes haste in leg
islation by going slowly enough to
assure every one of chance to pre-
sent his views"
Representative Eberharter, Demo-
crat, of Pennsylvania, another men,
Der of the subcommittee, who also
Is sponsoring legislation to revise
the Unemployment Compensation
Act, indicated he would join Mr.
Dirksen in insisting on further pub
lie hearings. He said he wanted to
know particularly the views of the
Commissioners and the Budget Bu-
reau. as well as those of all inter-
ested persons.
II think we will have to have
more public hearings" he declared.
It was pointed out that additional
public hearings could be held with
out delaying House consideration of
the legislation. Since be House will
x>% 10 ~. ..ec;o,, eft& odio,,rpipo
today until Monday, the bill cannot
be reported in time for House con-
sideration Monday, the first District
day day" Of the month. The next
District day will be April ~.
Bin Introduced Yesterday.
Mr.. McGehee yesterday intro
duced in the House . bill to amend
the existing law, which was in
keeping with proposals adopted re-
Gently by the majority of the Dis
trict Unemployment Compensation
Board, after consultation with ex-
perts Of the Social Security Board.
This plan, revision of one Of
fered earlier in the session by Mr..
McGehee, provides for asliberaliza-
ton of the law for both the covered
worker and the employer and in
cludes a sliding scale plan for fixing
the employer pay roll tax under
which the rate would be as low as
one-half of per cent so long as an
adequate reserve fund was main
tanned.
Plans No More Public Hearings.
This bill, as we'll as another
amendment offered by Representa-
tive Eberharter, Democrat, of Penn
sylvania, will be referred to the
McGehee Judiciary Subcommittee
Mr.. McGehee said he plans to call
for no further public hearings, but
hopes to be able to present rec
ommendation to the House District
Committee Monday.
The new McGehee bill would fix
2.7 per cent as the maximum pay
roll tax and would apply the tax
only to the first $1,000 of the salary
Of any employe covered by the law,
these changes being in line with the
new Federal policy.
The District board now has an
employe benefit payment reserve of
more than $17,000000, and this is
expected to run to more than $20,-
O00,000 by the end of this calendar
year. Under the new bill offered by
Mr. McGehee, the payroll tax could
be reduced to one-haf of / per cent
so long as the reserve fund amount
ed to as much as four times the
highest annual benefit payments in
q past year. If the. reserve was no
more than three times the benefit
payment, the rate would 60 to IL
per cent, and ii the reserve was no
more than twice the sum of benefit
payments, to per cent. If it fell
below that level, the rate would be
~ per cent, the maximum.
Provides $50 . Week.
Under the new McGehee bill, the
maximum benefit payments would
be raised from SIS to $40 a week
to place the District in advance OF
most Of the States as to Iberaliza-
ton for the worker, and the dura:
ton of benefit payments would be
-n>>>S ~ a r,,oviy,o,,Yn of 20 yueeIxs