Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-02-02
Social Security Report
Urges Increase in
Job|ess Benefits
Board Wants Help for
Groups Excluded
From Program
BY BLAIR BOLLES.

benefits ana by provision LOT Defle-
fits during a longer period OF a
wage earner's enforced idleness
than the II weeks now generally
authorized. ..e
The request was transmitted in
the fourth annual report OF the
board, which was sent to Congress
over the signature of Arthur J,
Altmeyer, board chairman.
Unemployment compensation has
met the challenge of those who
questioned its feasibility or even its
detectives" the report stated, in its
offering "some degree of protection
to 100000 workers. But the board
pointed out with regret that the
= program still, in most States, eX-
cludes from its provisions farm and
maritime workers, domestic SER
wants, employees of small establish
ments and workers for government
tai and some non-profit organiza-
tons.
In all of these employment groups,
the report observed, workers are
subject to periods of unemployment
through no fault of their own" 1t
called attention to Idaho's and New
York's recent extension of jobless
benefits to servants and to Great
Britain's program for farm workers
Maritime Group Aid Studied.
Proposals already are being con-
sidered for extension of the Federal
program to maritime workers. The
report continued:
Should the circumstances in any
particular State indicate, after con-
tinued and varying experience, that
the funds available for benefits eX-
coed the amount required to finance
the States existing provisions, the
! board believes that the first charge
on the excess should be to make
benefits more adequate"
(Already the District of Co.
lumbia's experience with jobless
81 insurance has reflected the ex-
cessive collections which the Fed
eral board remarks. A bill is
before Congress now to reduce
the. District pay roll tax for the
insurance from per cent to 81
per cent, so the Insurance Boards
reserve fund can be lowered from
q S16,O0O,OOO to s10,000,000. The
Federal Board recommends 81
per cent as desirable)
81 In its picture of how the Nation S
unemployment insurance system
might we'll be broadened for the
future, the board urged also that
provisions be made to extend jobless
benefits to workers thrown out of
employment because of disability
which did not originate in their
occupation.
Depression Cycles Cited.
an future planning" the report
stated, consideration should be
given also to questions of employ
9 ment security which fall outside
the proper scope of an insurance
provision, among them the cyclica.
unemployment which arises If
period of worldwide depression such
as that in the early 1905; to the
plight of workers in dying industries
or in areas where changed patterns
of industry result in chronic de-
preston, and to the relation of ar
insurance program to other meas
uras tn maintain stability of en-
ployment and earnings.
Progress toward the solution OF
problems such as these will obviously
require the collaboration of many
branches of Government and OF
industry. Within the limits Of
available personnel and in cooper
alton with other agencies concerned
the board is considering its general
study of these problems"
At the same time the board re-
marked on what it considers limi-
? tations on the effectiveness of the
programs for public assistance to
the aged, the blind and dependent
children, for which 1927 100000 was
distributed during the fiscal yeal
ending last July l from Federal
State and local funds.
IF the Federal-State program OF
public assistance is to provide at
least desirable minimum for needy
groups throughout the Nation" the
board said, at would appear neces-
!. sary for Federal funds to furnish a
2 relatively larger part of the cost in
the areas where State and local re-
sources are inadequate, just as some
States defray larger proportion OF
public assistance costs in counties
which have inadequate resources"
General Satisfaction Expressed.
Except for these suggestions, the
board indicated a certain satisfac.
. ton with its own work, the work Of
/. the State security administrations
: and the strides the whole American
9 social security program is taking
toward the solution of certain crit.
cal economic problems which ap.
peared during the depression. Fol
instance, the report observed:
THE indignation now effected ir
Federal and State activities relating
to employment service and unem.
ployment compensation affords {
greatly broadened opportunity fol
study of measures applicable tt
such situations.
Among these measures may bt
mentioned development of employ
ment services to provide for voca
tional guidance and training o.
young workers and retraining O.
workers in new occupations, ant
for the shifting of individuals from
areas abandoned by industry tt
areas where they will find oppor
tunities for employment"