Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-08-09
BEHIND
THE NEWS
BY Paul
MaIIon

WASHINGTON, Aug. e-The
w administration seems pre-
pairing, with resumption OF the
congressional session, to pro-
mote legislation for what could
be another WPA.
The CIO-Kilgore bill, backed
by left-wing New Dealers, pro-
poses unemployment
ton for war workers up to $3o
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 PROPOSE
ton, the movement is being
generated for the utmost funds,
to be handled by the federal
governmental time for cleo
ton usage, if the peace comes
as soon as NJ. Churchill has
predicted.
Mr.. RooSevelt's running mate,
Senator Truman, engineered the
bill out of the military affairs
committee, no doubt under
order.
THIS may be at least one fresh
Il factor behind Gov. DeweyS
recent concentration of attack
upon the Capitalization of au-
thority in the federal govern
ment. Certainly no amount of
money could be raised to match
the $4,000, 100000 campaign in
fiuence of such an industrial
unemployment conf n sation
measure, plus the soldier bene-
fits up to SIS already passed.
Also, its provision opened
legal possibilities for such things
as a new NRA, ordering buSi-
neSses 10 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 TO adopt some modi-
fication of the federaliZed con-
trolls. as well as modify the
rates.
nEM OCRATIC Senator
~ George has a bill which
would set up state method of
payment in accordance with the
existing social security scheme,
now covering 100000 people.
The federal government would
guarantee the solvency of state
funds, although state directors
contend they have a sufficient
sum of four TO five billions 10
meet the shock of postwar en-
ployment now credited TO them,
A third course has been of
fered by eSconomic stabilizer
James F. Byrnes, somewhat like
the kilgore bill, unifying stand
ards under federal management
and reimbursing the states.
While this was presumed to be
the official administration idea,
1t appears now that Truman,
not Byrnes, is acting for the
White House even though the
bill violates several recommen-
datlons of the Presidents Spe-
cial adviser on this subject, Mr..
Baruch.
THE reason the Go course
Il 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
10 business.
Most Republicans probably
will join in behind the George
measure along with the south
ern states-rights Democrats.
AS Republican Senator Van
denberg has said, the Kilgore
rates would not only give the
industrial workers. who have
been making highest war sal
aries, greater benefit than the
soldier, but would be more than
normal wage for many ordi-
nary nonWar workers. In the
South, he thinks, no one would
work for a time.
As far as northern industrial
states are concerned, some now
pay over $50 a week in benefits.
Consequently, there viii be a
tendency TO delay action on the
measure in the belief that the
states can take care of the
situation.