The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1944-08-31
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p,nDAIu MAJTON 70
Is Another WPA on the Way?
ByhUL MALLON

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Washington-The administration
seems preparing, with resumption
of the congressional session, tC
promote legislation for what could
be another WPA.
The CIO-Kilgore bill, backed by
left-wing New Dealers, proposes
unemployment compensation fol
war workers up to $35 a week, in
effect establishing this amount as
- minimum wage, since no one
would care to work for less.
A hue and cry is being spread
that there may be 100000 un-
employed. and under the pres
sure of that fabulous suppose
ton. the movement is being
generated for the utmost funds.
to be handled by the federal
government-in time for cleo
tion usage. if the peace comes
as soon as Mr.. Churchhill has
predicted.
MIR. Roosevelt's running mate,
Senator Truman, engineered the
bill out of the military affairs COM
mittee, no doubt under order.
This may at least one fresh
factor behind Governor DeWey's
recent concentration of attack upon
the GENERALIZATION of authority in
the federal government, certainly
no amount of money could be rails
ed to match the 100000, 900, 900
campaign influence of such an in
dustrial unemployment compensa-
ton measure, plus the soldier ben
efits up to $25 already passed.
Also its provisions opened legal
possibilities for such things as a
new MIRA, ordering businesses to
work, refusing to give materials to
businesses which do not cooperate,
etc. .--.-, ..,....... ..-...- -.
The form of the legislation is
what will count. If it is to be taken
out of politics, congress will have
- adopt some modification of the
ederalized controls as well as
modify the rates. 80 80
Democratic Senator George has
a bill which would set up state
method of payment in accordance
with the existing social security
scheme, now covering 10000, 900
people. The federal government
would guarantee the solvency of
state funds although state directors
contend they have sufficient sum
of four to five billions to meet the
shock of postwar employment now
credited to them.
Byrnes Has Plan
A third course has been offered
by economic stabilizer James F.
Byrnes somewhat like the Kilgore
bill, unifying standards under fed
eral management and reimbursing
the states. While this was presum-
ed to be the administration idea,
it appears now that Truman, not
Byrnes, is acting for the White
House even though the bill violates
several recommendations of the
presidents special advisor on this
subject, Mr.. Barouch.
The reason the CIO course
will probably lose in the end is
that all states. democratic and
republican. are resentful of the
inroads that have been made on
their sovereignty and fearful of
what this would do to business.
Most republicans probably
will join in behind the George
measure along with the south
ern states-rights democrats.
AS republican Senator Vanden-
berg has said, the Kilgore rates
would not only give the industrial
workers, who have been making
highest war salaries, a greater ben
eft than the soldier, but would be
more than normal wage for many
ordinary non-War workers. In the
South, he thinks, no one would
work for time.
AS far as northern industrial
Continued on Page 81
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