Evening star., 1944-09-02
House and Senate
Seek Compromise
|0n JobIess Benefits
b the Associated Press.


Senators and Representatives
sat down together today to see
If they can compose sharp differ
ences between the two bodies Of
Congress on the extent of aid for
the postwar unemployed, to be
embodied in rehabilitation and
reconversion legislation.
Bernard M. Baruch. presidential
adviser, who spent much OF his per-
sonal funds buying home-bound
tickets for stranded Government
workers after the last war, called
the House bill inadequate" Senator
George, Democrat, Of Georgia de-
scribed 1t as unavoidable.
Agree on Insurance.
The House agreed with the Sen
ate on leaving unemployment insur-
ance entirely In State hands, but
struck out Senate provisions to re-
train war workers for other jobs; to
pay their way back home in hard
ship cases, and to blanket $500 900
Government workers under jobless
benefits protection.
Answering Mr.. Baruch's comment,
Chairman Doughton of the Ways
and Means Committee which drew
up the House bill, said 1T is not the
time to enact hastily legislation
costing unknown billions-when the
atmosphere is polluted with political
considerations"
Our opinion" he said, "is that
this is as far as we can go at this
time. I don't say It is adequate
or inadequate. It's the best bill we
can prepare until we know more
about the actual problems we will
confront. Mr.. Baruch hasn't given
us plan showing the cost or where
the money is coming from.
Looks for Facts.
IT there is to be considerable
unemployment. I hope we can see
its approach in time to provide the
necessary legislative remedy. . .
What we have done does not close
the books on relieving unemploy-
ment If 1t occurs, but in my judg-
ment we can do better Job when
we know just how serious, If at all,
the problem is likely to become"
Both Mr. Doughton and Repre-
sentative Knutson of Minnesota,
ranking Ways and Means Repub-
lican, contended that State unem-
pioyment compensation funds are
adequate to take care of unemploy-
ment problems for the present.
Senator George. author OF the
Senate's demobilization bill, indi-
Gated the main goals OF the Sena-
tors would be the restoration of the
Federal employe jobless coverage
provisions, plus the restoration of
the Senate plan to permit payment
up to 5000 Of transportation costs
to return stranded war workers back
home or to new Jobs.
He told reporters the House bill
would have to be revised extensively
in conference Ito make it workable. -
Deadlocked for Disposal.
Meanwhile. another Senate House
Conference Committee reported no
concrete progress toward an agree
ment on surplus property disposal
Legislation. This committee, wind
ing up three days of conferences,
was still tightly deadlocked on the
issue Of whether disposal should
be ruled by single administrator
or a board
Senate members said they
thought the House group, favoring
single executive. might yield to
a compromise retaining both q
board and an administrator, the
latter to have limited policy au-
thority. But Representative Ma
nasco, Democrat, of Alabama, House
conferees' chairman. said a majority
Of the House group was insistent on
placing dominant authority in the
administrator,