Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-08-09
Move Growing
ID! Con,pron1ise
On Job|ess Pay
Senate Republicans
See Political Bolt
In Present Bill
BY the Associated Press.

In Present Bill
BY the Associated Press.
Republican protests that the
Kilgore reconverSion
plan could be used to set up q
auge political machine sounded
n Congress today. There also
vas some talk of a compromise
of the row over Fed
eral payments to displaced war
workers.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan declared there never was
a bigger political opportunity than
that created" by one section Of the
measure providing for six months Of
training for idle work.
ers at Government expense, with
trainees to be allowed $50 to 500 q
month for subsistence.
THE proposed work administrator
could select any one for training at
Government expense; there would
be nothing to prevent the selections
from being political" Senator Fer
guson told reporters.
Vote Slated Tomorrow.
The Senate tentatively scheduled
vote tomorrow on the issue. Pend
ing besides the bill of Senators Muir
ray, Democrat, of Montana, and
Kilgore, Democrat, OF West Virginia
is the bill of Senator George, DEM
ocrat, Of Georgia to leave unem-
ployment compensation program as
it now is, in the hands of the States,
while making about $500, 900 Federal
workers eligible for benefits at Fed
eral expense.
Senator George attacked the rival
bill yesterday by declaring 1T would
be most unwise to approve any sys-
tenn which would induce idleness."
Following up the attack in a state.
ment, Senator Willis, Republican,
of Indiana denounced the Murray.
Kilgore bill as measure to Hill
mamie and Sovietize labor, by
Stacking Unemployment under
complete domination of Govern
ment."
But Senator Wagner, Democrat,
of New York commended that Estate
bureaucrats are opposing the Muir
ray-Kilgore measure because they
fear that Federal participation in
postwar unemployment benefits
would curb their own political
power.
state Bureaucrats Forget"
These State bureaucrats forget
that it is the greatest good for the
greatest number we are after-not
the preservation of their jobs, their
prestige Of their political power"
Senator Wagner told the Senate.
Congress must fix uniform rates
of compensation higher than pres
ent State levels, Senator Wagner
continued, without waiting for the
remote possibility" that the States
themselves will hberalize their pro-
grams.
Senator Ferguson and another
Republican, Senator Aiken of YER
mont, also said they regard present
State compensation scales as made
quate and proposed that q middle
ground be found by Congress be-
tween them and the $35 a week
rate provided in the Federal plan.
Senator Ferguson said he favored
a compromise based upon Federal
payments limited to veterans and
workers in war industries, leaving
payments to nonwar workers to be
determined by the States.
George Perfecting Bill.
A supporter Of the Murray-Kil.
gore proposal, Senator Wallgren,
Democrat, of Washington said he
thought there should be q modifica-
ton of its provision for unemploy.
ment payments at $12 to $35 weekly.
with the Federal Government sup
|plementing State payments which
average less than half that maxi
mum.
Other Senate comment on the
question included a statement by
Senator Pepper, Democrat, of Flo
rida, who said the Kilgore
bill is designed to insure mo more
breadlines-no more WPA"
Describing the measure as zone Of
the finest pieces Of legislation ever
proposed in Congress" the Floridian
told a reporter at will reassure
those in the armed forces and
others entitled to Government pro-
lection that they will be well taken
care of in the readjustment period"
Moore Assails Bin.
Senator Moore. Republican, Of
Oklahoma assailed the bill, however,
terming it vicious threat to set
up labor dictatorship over the whole
country" He charged 1t would add
almost beyond imagination to regi-
mentation."
TT is strictly a Go measure and
the present administration is help
less to oppose it because so much
power has been conceded to the
CIO," he said, asserting Congress
should be devoting its time to PLAN
ming employment instead of put
ting a lot Of buns on the streets"
and creating labor dictatorship"
Meanwhile, Senator George put
the finishing touches on a COM
plete rehabilitation bill under
which an Office of rehabilitation
would operate without the industry
and advisory boards proposed in
the Murray-Kilgore bill. It leaves
out a Murray Kilgore provision in
creasing mastering out payment
and unemployment benefits for re.
turning war veterans.
| It would authorize the Federal
Government to pay transportation
expenses up to $500 for stranded"
war workers back to their homes,
but not to new job locations as the
rival bill proposes. It also eliminates
10 Murray -Kilgore provision for
Federally financed vocational train
ling.
ng