The voice of labor. (Cumberland, Md.) 1938-1942, 1941-01-30

OF State poll taxes as a condition
to the exercise OF the franchise
in federal elections.
:. LaFollettc- Thomas Oppres-
sive Labor Practices Bill
After several years of public
hearing by the LaFollette Senate
Civil Liberties Committee. legis-
lation was proposed by the Com
mittee which would prohibit the
use OF labor spies. Strikebrcakirg
agencies. armed guards and III
duStria munitions IN order -
put an end to the brutal practice,
Of antilabor corporations again 4
tho workers
No just or logical reason ha,
ever been urged in opposition TO
this legislation. 1t has been 81,
mied in Congress III the past By
being smothercd TO death by the
reactionarieS. Labor must press
only the more vigorously for the
early enactment of this lcgisld-
ton.
8. Social Security
The American people are en-
titled TO a system Of real security
for aged people. The present dual
system Of state old-age pensions
and federal old-agc insurance
does not take care of our needs
in a satisfactory way and does
not exhaust the limit of our re
sources.
The Go must continue to
press for the adoption OF an
old.age pension program based
upon a fiat pension OF $50 per
month. supplementary al
l0wancc to wives up to a maxi
mum of 500 per month for
each married couple with an
age limit Of so years. and
eligibility 10 all persons. ad-
ministered through single
federal system. Large groups
Of American workers who are
not yet covered under this leg
islati0n should be brought with
in the system. The additional
funds necessary for this pro-
gram must be secured by tan.
es upon the higher income
brackets and not imposed upon
the workers.
3. Health and Total Or
Permanent Disability
I One-third of the American pco-
pie now receive no medical care
worthy Of its name and the wage
earnerS and low income groups
cannot afford adequate medical
care because the costs OF medical
care are disoreanized and eXccs-
sive. Further. the incidence OF
total and permanent disability is
now thrown entirely upon the
workers and no adequate proyi-
sion is made TO meet their prob
lem.
Legislation must be enacted
which would:
a. Enact a national health pro-
gram including insurance for
medical care on federal basis
covering all persons. free medical
care for those who cannot afford
insurance. cash benefits for TEN
porary disability TO workers. and
the construction OF new hospital,
in rural and urban areas through
out the country: and
b. Establish a system prOyid
ing for cash benefits in cases OF
total or permanent disability As
part OF the federal old-agc pen
sion program.
10. Anti-Lynching
Lynching which has been a bar
to the extension of democracy to
millions of Negro workers and
underprivileged white workers.
must be eliminated. The CLIO will
continue to offer its unstintcd
support to the early enactment by
Congress of anti-lynching legisla-
ton.
IL. Civil Liberties
The gains that have been
made in the protection of civil
liberties through the Supreme
Court decisions enforcing con-
stitutional rights must not be
curtailed BY Congress. The
spread of relationships abroad
and hysterical fears nj home
must only serve 10 rcafiirm
the abiding faith of the Amer
lean people in the great prin-
ciples of civil rights and civil
liberties embodied in the Bill of
Rights and in the social lcgiS-
latiOn upholding the dignity of
the common man.