Evening star., 1943-11-26
II -. -.
Soldiers Bonus; J.
|0f $500 Sought
In House Bill
Both Branches Get
JobIess Aid and
Security Measures
By the Associated Press,

- tAS <SSS0SaA be0 3IGbSs
Bills were introduced In both
houses of Congress today provid-
ing unemployment insurance of
from SIS to SIS a week and social
security credits as out-of-service
benefits for service men and
women.
Earlier, Chairman May of the
House Military Affairs COMMITTEES
had promised swift committee action
on a bill he plans to introduce
which would provide $500 In muster
ing-out pay for those holding ranks
no higher than Army captain or
Navy lieutenants, senior grade. A
duplicate Of the May bill made its
appearance in the Senate, sponsored
there by Majority Leader Barley.
The benefits were asked by Presi.
dent Roosevelt in a message to Con.
gress this week.
The Federal unemployment nav.
ments, continuing up to 50 weeks il
the serviceman remains unemployed
that long after his discharge, would
supplement existing State umem-
ployment insurance benefits. No
payments would be made, however,
for any period In which the service
man receives Federal mastering -out
pay or educational allowances.
Identical Bills introduced.
Identical bills were introduced
jointly In the Senate by Senators
Wagner, New York; George, Georgia,
and Clark, Missouri, Democrats, and
in the House by Chairman Doughton
Of the Ways and Means Committee.
Calling for prompt congressional
consideration of the legislation, SEN
ator Wagner said approximately
TOO 900 men had been demobilized
since the Pearl Harbor attack and
that, in addition, cases are increas-
ing where the widows and depend
ents OF men killed In action have
lost their rights to survivors insur-
ance under social security, because
the servicemen's credits have been
impaired by their absence from
civilian employment"
Senator Wagner said 1t WAS i'm.
possible to forecast the cost Of the
proposed benefits. but that "by any
reasonable estimate the cost will not
exceed our cost of running the war
for about two weeks during the pres
ent fiscal year" A rough estimats
would be around $4,000, ,0o0, 900.
Main Provisions Of Bills.
Here Is a summa ton Of the main
provisions Of the bills:
Unemployment insurance: SIS 4
week for a single man or woman
IS additional for 4 dependent wife.
and $3.50 additional for each de-
pendent child up to a maximum OF
$25 . week. Benefits would be paid
through the Social Security Board
cooperating with State unemploy-
ment agencies. Applicants would be
required to register with public
employment ofices and accept suit
able" employment when it was of.
fered. Payments up to a maximum
OF 50 weeks would be made in
15-month period after honorable
QlSCnarge.
Age and survivors insurance
Credits for military service would
be allowed for each month of serv-
Ice since September is, 1940-the
date Of the Selective Service Act
whether or not the serviceman
previously had been covered by the
act. Credits would be related to
a uniform wage base OF $50 q
month, similar to provisions Of the
Railroad Retirement Act. The Gov.
ernment would appropriate sums
equivalent to the employer and en-
ploye tax contribution.
Senator Wagner said that only
about half the men in service are
covered by existing State unemploy- .
ment programs, because they were
engaged in farming or other ex-
cluded occupations, and that even
those covered probably would find
the payments inadequate. He said
majority of States pay a max
imum Of SIS week and that the
minimum goes below IS weekly In
nine States.
Mr.. Mays bonus bill, which the
(See BONUS. Page AIRY