Evening star., 1942-09-06
Congressional Pensions Plan
Chief Issue Against Romspeck
But Georgia Primary
Is Overshodowed by
GubernutorioI Ruce
e. the Associated Press.


ATLANTA, Sept. 5.-Representa-
tive Ramspeck, Democrat, of Geor-
gia, third ranking party leader OF
the House, is waging one of his
most active campaigns for renomi-
nation in an effort to offset revival
Of the pensions for Congressman"
controversy as a leading issue.
But today the Democratic whip
who introduced in the House the
retirement measure which was
passed and then repealed amid a
bundles for Congress" campaign
thinks he has "the race won," al
though his two opponents both pre-
dict clear majorities for themselves.
Only plurality of the popular
vote, however, will be necessary for
nomination in the Democratic pri-
mary next Wednesday. ....
Although the nomination is tanta-
mount to election, the congressional
race has been oyershadowed by a
bitter gubernatorial contest between
Gov. Eugene Talmadge and Attor-
ney General Ellis Arnall.
Still observers pointed to a rec
ord-breaking registration in the
congressional district-Georgias 5th
despite an opposite trend else
where in the State. More than e5.-
600 voters are registered in the
three counties-Fulton (Atlanta)
De Kalb and Rockdale-wl1ich COM
pose the largely urban district.
Has Stressed Pension Issue.
Stressing the pension issue from
the start of his campaign has been
Jere Wells, 50-year -old former Full
ton County school superintendent,
VINO resigned to make the race after
serving in this elective post for 1s
years y
In his latest radio address Mr..
Wells charged that while the Nation
was being stripped for war Mr..
Ramspeck was "f1ddIing with con-
gressional pensions and other self
ish legislation"
The American people have in a
large measure lost confidence in
Congress and Ramspeck's Pensions
for-Congressmen act is chiefly re-
sponsible for it."
Declaring he was discussing the
issue against the advice of friends
the veteran of seven terms took to
the air with only three days left
before the primary to devote an
address almost exclusively to reply.
1 doubt that any act ever passed
oy the Congress has been more dis
cussed and so little understood, !"
Representative Ramspeck asserted
The chairman of the House Civil
Service Committee said charges that
the provision of the act he intro
duced in February, 1941, relating
to Senator'S and Representatives
was Joker rider or an amend
ment were false"
Explains Acts Provisions.
Stressing that the bill would have
required members of Congress to
make contributions toward the re-
tirement fund, he said the proposed
system would have operated like
Social Security Railroad Retirement
and other similar systems.
when my opponents condemn
my. action in this matter they in
directly condemn the President. who
approved the bill. They also con-
demn the men with whom they
seek to serve. You can imagine that
they would mot be welcomed In the
Congresslf elected on such a phony
issue" i''F
Recalling that he voted for repeal
OF the provision to stop a dividing
of our people," Representative
Ramspeck added, "if you feel that I
made a mistake in regard to this
matter 1t has been corrected"
He charged that the bundles for
Congress" campaign was started In
the State of Washington by a for
mer Italian consul and the pub
licity was handled by former jap
anese agent. The dictators no DOUBT
laughed in glee as many innocent
people were sucked into that cam
paign to smear your legislative
body"
The third candidate in the race Is
32-year-old j. E. B. Stewart, sus-
pended director of the Bureau of
Unemployment Compensation of the
Georgia Labor Department, who also
has referred frequently to the pen
sion issue and also has dubbed Mr..
Wells a pension grabber" for his
support of State legislation setting
up a county school retirement sys-
tem..
Attacks Labor Record,
Mr.. Stewart, however, has CEN
tered his campaign chiefly on a la
u n nj uTV