Evening star., 1945-09-06

| | ~o' odiC Ol SulPSs |
| FL. Stock piling of strategic
material.
transition from war to peace is as
much a part of the cost of war as
the transition from peace to war
and we should so consider it.
This course is recommended not
only as a matter of justice and hu-
manity, but also as a matter of
sound business. Nothing would be
more harmful to our economy than
to have every displaced war worker
stop buying consumer goods. And
nothing would be more conducive
to a large-scale cessation of buying
than the feeling on the part of dis
placed war workers that all their
income had stopped and that their
remaining financial resources had to
be boarded.
Provision for Veterans.
| For one group of those who may
become unemployed in the near fu-
ture-the demobilized veterans-the
Congress has already made special
provision. Any veteran who has
satisfactorily completed 80 days OF
/ service is now entitled by law to a
weekly unemployment allowance of
$40 for as much as 50 weeks, depend.
ing on the length of his service.
BY contrast, there are more than
100000 workers not protected un-
der our present unemployment in
surance laws. There are many
millions more for whom protection
is inadequate. Many of these have
been unable to accumulate adequate
| savings.
! On May %, 1945, I recommended
to the Congress that the Fedora
Government Immediately supple.
ment the unemployment insurance
benefits now provided by the sew.
eral States. That is the only feas-
ible way to provide at least a SUBJ
sistence payment in all parts of the
United States during this coming
unemployment period.
AS I pointed out then, the existing
State laws relative to unemployment
Insurance are inadequate in three
respects:
Cd Only about 100000 of oul
100000 nonagricultural workers
are protected by unemployment in.
surance. Federal Government en-
| ployes, for example, such as Fedora,
shipyard and arsenal workers, are
not covered. Nor are employees OF
small businesses and small indus
trial establishments. Nor are the
officers and men of the merchant
marine who have braved enemy tor
pedoes and bombs to deliver supplies
and the implements of war to our
armed services and our Allies.
(2) The weekly benefit payments
under many of the State laws are
now far too low to provide subsist-
ence and purchasing power for the
workers and their families. Almost
half of the States have the clearly
inadequate maximum of SIS to S18
a week.
49, Many of the States pay bene-
fits for too short a period. In more
than one-third of the States, fol-
example, i8 weeks is the maximum
Urges Immediate Action.
I recommend then, and I ur-
gently renew my recommendation
now, that the Congress take imme.
diate action to make good these
deficiencies for the present emer.
gency period of reconversion.
Specifically, coverage should be
extended to include Federal EN-.
ployes, maritime workers and Other
workers not now insured. This ad.
dltional compensation during the
present emergency will have to bs
financed entirely by the Fedora
Government, but the benefits shoule
appropriately be administered b,
the States.
I also recommended, and I nov
repeat that recommendation, tina
the Congress provide, through sup
Elementary Federal emergency ben
eft payments. additional unemploy
ment benefits so as to bring then
up to adequate standards in all tn,
States. All payments, however
should be made through the exist
ing unemployment compensation
machinery of the several States.
During this emergency every eli
gible worker should be entitled tt
26 weeks of unemployment benefit
in any one year. The maximum
weekly payment for those worker,
whose previous earnings were higf
enough should be not less than So!
per week.
If the Congress decides to tax,
this very necessary step it will alst
wish to reconsider and increase tn,
unemployment allowance provided
for veterans.
Misinterpreted.
There has been so much misrepre
sentation about this temporary pro.
posel that I think I should cate.
gorically state what the bill doe,
not do.
1t does not give every one $25 .
week. Under it, an applicant mus
be ready, willing and able to worl
and must have earned wages higf
enough so that the percentage rat,
will yield this maximum figure.
1t does not federalize the unem.
ployment compensation system. I
leaves it with the States.
1t is not intended to take tht
place of the permanent amend.
ments to the unemployment com.
pensation system which are nov
being studied by the Congress. i
is an emergency measure designed
to expand the present system with.
out changing its principles. It i.
designed only to meet the immediate
pressing human problems of recon.
version.
This recommendation is not to bt
confused with the broader question
OF extending, expanding and i'm.
proving our entire social securit,
program, of which unemploymen
II inSfIranr iS ry,lv aor% nvo~o