Evening star., 1942-11-15
Randolph Will Seek
Passage Of Job|ess
Tax Bill Tomorrow
House District Group
To Call Up Measure to
Save Employers 5 Million
BY WILL P. KENNEDY,

Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee and Representa-
tive Dirksen of Illinois, ranking Re-
publican member, tomorrow will
seek unanimous consent for imme-
dlate House consideration of the
revamped District unemployment
compensation bill, Representative
McGehee, Democrat, of Mississippi,
author of the measure, said last
night.
The bill will be favorably reported
to the House tomorrow. Subcom-
mittee approval was given Friday
and the full committee was polled
and ordered it reported. but the
House has not been in session since
then. Since tomorrow is District
day, Mr.. McGehee said members of
the District committee are hope
full the measure can be called up
and passed under unanimous con-
sent.
Chairman Randolph also said he
hopes to get all other essential Dis
trict legislation cleaned up within
bNO weeks.
The unemployment compensa ton
bill would result in a saving of an
estimated $5,000,00 to District en-
ployers on the payroll tax. This
would be accomplished through re-
duction of the tax rate, which under
present law is 27 per cent. A sur
plus of more than $30,0OO.0OO has
been accumulated in the last five
years.
To reduce the tax, the so-called
experience rating" provisions have
been written into the bill. Under
these provisions. employers who
offer steady employment with little
turnover will get the benefit of a
reduced tax on sliding scale,
which tapers down from 81 to a
minimum of one tenth Of per cent.
Director John r. Marshall of the
District Unemployment Compensa-
ton Board told the committee that
the proposed new rates would be
ample, and that the board could
operate in safety and solvency for
at least five years with a reserve
fund of $10,000000. The new bill
provides for increasing payments
from the present $l8 week for 18
weeks to $40 week for 20 weeks.
Men in the armed forces will be
eligible for benefits under this meas
use when their military service is
completed Benefits are prohibited
to persons out of work because of a
strike, and there is a correspond
ing provision that unemployed per-
sons receiving compensation cannot
be forced to work when it would
mean they would have to be strike
breakers.
Several other bills affecting the
District are awaiting House action
but there has been no decision on
whether an attempt will be made to
call these up tomorrow. The meas
ures include one to pension retired
judges of Police and Municipal
Courts; a proposed improvement OF
the system of registering births, and
bill providing for elimination OF
various degrees of speeding and jury
trials on charges OF operating with
out a permit and raising the maxi
mum penalty for first offenses OF
speeding
| Chairman Hunter of the special
subcommittee which drafted the bill
| for revision OF the tax exemption
list. following vigorous protests on
behalf of charitable, religious, edu-
cational, patriotic and scientific
groups. said also that he will make
an early effort to get his bill through
the House.
The District Committee is ex-
pected to consider early this week
two measures which have Just
passed the Senate, one to simplify
the process of condemning insani-
tary buildings in the District and
the other minor amendment to the
law governing the operation Of CO.
operative associations in the Dis
| trict