The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-21

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to the 21,200,000 in the Army and
Navy and the munitions industries
when the war is over?
The soldiers and sailors won't be
discharged in bunch, and there is
every indication that when this
global brawl is over, the country
won't again make the mistake of
whiting the Army down to cor
poral's guard, the Navy down to two
on raft. Peace-time armed forces
of maybe three, maybe five million
men will in all likelihood be main
tanned to keep the peace.
VETS FACE GOOD TREATMENT
For the five to eight million veter-
ans mustered out after the war is
over there will be bonuses, there will
be preferential consideration for
jobs, there will be rehabilitation for
the wounded, chances for schooling
and every favor that grateful ma
ton can beStow.
The 100000 plus in the NUM-
tons industries are the ones who
will receive the first impact of the
production change-over from war to
peace. Some industries making
standard goods used in both war and
peace-like auto tires, for instance
can keep on going. Molds for mill
tary equipment will be replaced by
molds for civilian equipment, and
the more tires they make the mer-
rier. Factories making bazookas and
military aircraft and shells won't be
so lucky. Factories which have to
reconvert to make autos and vac
uum cleaners will have to shut down
to do it and that's where all this
trouble you've been reading about
is going to begin. Or if you haven't
been reading about it you will, till
the subject boreS you to tears.
In all this period of transition, of
course, people will be milling around
the country by the millions. Good
workmen will get jobs now held by
incompetents and the incompetents
will again be unemployed and Won
dering when they will start up the
WPA.
How all this is going to turn out,
who is going to end up living where,
doing what, and why-no one can
say. You can't predict how cake
of this kind will whip up, bake or
come out of the oven because there
isn't any recipe.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
A LIFE-SAVER
At this writing there Is only one
sure thing for laid-off workers to
fall back on, and that is the federal
state unemployment insurance COM
pensation. 1t isn't exactly cake that
it's recipients are permitted to eat,
but it is at least an emergency ra-
ton and it has been lifesaver in
the last four years, during periods OF
temporary unemployment caused by
plant conversion to war production.
In the fiscal year 1939-40, over
five million workers drew benefits.
In the fiscal year 94l-42, over 80
million workers drew benefits. In
In the fiscal year 1942-43, this was
down to 100000. They collected
total benefits of 100000. The
average benefit was about $144, COW
ering an average unemployment
period of ia weeks.
Before Congress now is the so--
called Wagner Dingell bill, calling
for liberalization and uniformity OF
unemployment insurance admins
tration, taking it entirely out Of the
hands of the 81 states and territories
which now have separate and in
places conflicting systems. Further,
the bill calls for broadening cover
age, providing what has been called
cradle to the grave social security,
or an American Beverage plan.
There are other bills before Con-
gress now, and there will be still
others presented during this new
session, intended to deal with some
phase of this readjustment of man
power, biggest Of all postwar prob
lens