The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-28
MISCONDUCT" MISLEADING

All this Islander IS unfortunate ill., deed, for some of the most solid reading in the world can be found in these mimeographed and printed paperbacks, and as exhibit A in proof thereof, your attention should be called to one of the latest hot numbers, just issued by the Social Security Board. The title-but don't let it scare you = is Unemployment Compensation Interpretation Serv- ice, Benefit Series, Vol, 3, No. 12."
 Why can't Hollywood think em up like that?
 Well, anyway, "U.CIS.B.S." for short, is a great human document to rival Uncle Toms Cabin" and Grapes of Wrath" and the chap ter you shouldn't miss is titled Misconduct"
 Now we're getting somewhere.
 It's a shame to spoil the build- up this early in the review, but the truth is that this isn't the kind of misconduct you were hoping it might be.
 There is no preface, but the Social Security Board people ex- plain that tn e purpose of this pamphlet is to spread around among state unemployment con- missions information about typical cases that. other states have held hearings on, so the other states will know how to deal with such cases if they should arise at home. The cases reported are interest ing for two reasons:
 First, because they are marvel ous revelations of the things that worry poor, unfortunate little peo- pie when they do something dumb and get fired for it. There's the pathos.
 Second, because they are an amazing confession of the extent to which the great United States government has had to step into the private lives of even the most unfortunate of citizens, to print books of case histories about their tough breaks and the errors of their ways. Furthermore, it's a confession of the shame of State governments, that they must hold formal hearings. take testimony just like a court, and make hard work and official decisions and findings on situations they shouldn't be bothered with. There's the pity. BEERS OKAY-
 BUT NOT FEUDING
 A few excerpts of these official de- cisions will give you the idea of what important things government is concerned with today, and just how much of Solomon's wisdom government commissioner must possess to make these far-seeing and history making rulings:
 Florida. Misconduct case 1925. A warehouseman who partook of two or three bottles of beer while not on the job, held not guilty of mis- conduct connected with his work.
 Kansas. Misconduct case 1890. A member of family in which feud existed, who participated in en- counters between members of the family on the employers premises, held guilty of misconduct. Missouri. Misconduct case 1230. A claimant who aided fellow employees in taking gasoline from premises of the employer, held guilty of mis- conduct even though he did not profit by his actions.
 New Jersey. Misconduct case 1310 An assembly line worker who lost his head and struck the "pusher." 1" sheld not guilty of misconduct when the "pusher's" conduct provoked claimants action.
 West Virginia. Misconduct case 1880. A stockroom clerk who slept while on duty without reporting to the employer that he was i'll, if such were the case, held guilty of mis- conduct.
 There are hundreds of cases like those, and the point is that wherever the man was found not guilty of misconduct, he got un- employment insurance or his job back. If guilty, he got nothing. There, are other types of cases in the book, including one about a New York state preacher who was found eligible for unemployment insurance even though "he re- ceived no remuneration of any kind in return for his services which were performed mainly on Sunday, and who was available for full-time employment the other six days of the week, held available for employment"
 Well. there's the government for you, and this brief glimpse may give you a few ideas about what goes on. which you may not have suspected. Also, there's a government report. Should such classics be thrown In the waste- basket7