Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-04-13
Aid 10 War Workers
when Peace Comes
Proposed by Byrnes

Federal unemployment bene-
fits to supplement State job1ess
aid for war workers displaced
by the transition to peacetime
economy today had the implied
approval of the administration.
The proposal was advanced last
might before the Academy of Polit-
ical Science in New York in a
speech by War Mobilization Direc-
tor James F. Byrnes, who outlined
the steps being taken to meet post
war problems. 1t was in line with
the earlier efforts of the admins
tration to supplement the State aid
paid under the Social Security Act
to workmen made idle while plants
were being converted to war use.
Opposition in Congress and in the
States defeated this project.
1.-THE existing State unemploy-
ment insurance laws were framed to
meet local conditions of temporary
unemployment and are not ade-
quate to deal with the Nationwide
problem of unemployment" Direc-
tor Byrnes said. Generalization
must be regarded as a national
problem and its costs as part of
the costs of war"
Director Byrnes also insisted that
postwar taxes. must be cut and dis
closed that an interdepartmerltal
committee is working, under the
direction of the Secretary ofs The
Trsasgry orsa planpto be submitted
The idsa q framing a postwar
tax program now so business would
know what to expect was advanced
in the recent Baruch- Hancock re-
port, but has received q, chilly
reception in Congress. - ga
The war mobilization director said
VIZ mnkk avoid"k tn delay sthat
otherwiS would be Eaused bys the
framing e6f tax legislation, adding
that sCohSfsss usaiany reapifes
about sig months to work OPT a
tax bill. u 8'6' Z. 81
Would Close Some Plants.
Other major points he made were
these: -
/. The Government must close
plants whenever they are no longer
needed in the war effort. ut will
be far better for communities" he
said, ito have plants closed now,
when the employees can find other
jobs, than to continue operating and
later close the plants when en-
ployes may not be able to find jobs. "
2. The Baruch-H Hancock report
recommending machinery for speedy
termination of contracts and dis
posal of SURPRISES has gone far to
dispel the fog of controversy" over
these subjects. He said legislation
is needed to carry out the recon-
mendations, but meanwhile the ex-
ecutive department should proceed
as far as it can under existing law.
3. Steps have been taken ito pro-
tect the farmers from a repetition"
of the widespread bankruptcies and
foreclosures which followed the
World War. The Sterilization Act,
Mr.. Byrnes noted, authorizes the
Commodity Credit Corp. to make
loans for two full crop years after
the formal termination of hostili-
ties
Benefits for Veterans Cited.
Congress already has provided
mustering-out pay for men and
women in the armed services and
educational and other benefits have
been or will be provided the drec-
tor recalled in recommending Fed
eral unemployment benefits for dis
charged war workers.
Mr.. Byrnes said the benefits
should be based on the worker S
previous earnings and number of
dependents and the payments
should not be restricted to any
period of time. but should be dis
continued If the recipient refused
suitable employment.
Mr.. Byrnes prefaced his discussion
of postwar plans by cautioning that
winning the war remains an i'm
mense task. He said the shift from
the defensive to the offensive al
ready had permitted cutbacks in
war production. He added that cuts
in the Army program for 1914 and
1915, excluding the air service
amount to s16,75O,oOO0oO A study
just completed, he said, indicates
the spare parts program of the
Army and Navy can be reduced
81 ,402 100000 by next December 81.
Mr.. Byrnes also declared that in
flation could defeat the whole post
war program and called for main
tenance of present price and wage
controls without change.