The Daily Alaska empire., 1946-03-09
SEVEN BILLS INTRODUCED HOUSE TODAY

The final day of the first week of the extraordinary session found the Territorial House full steam ahead on a crowded program with introduction of seven bills and se- cond reading of H.B. l, the Unem- ployment compensation bill by Hennings and Krause.
 The following new bills were read for the first time and referred to committee.
 H.B. "A. by Hanford, to increase the licensing tax on fishermen, creating special fund; establishing on Office for the Relief and Care of Sick and Disabled Commercial Fishermen; making an appropria- ton. and declaring an emergency; to Fish and Fisheries.
 H.B. 25, by Hanford, to amend laws governing the per diem of Territorial officials and employees; and declaring an emergency to Ju- dietary.
 H.B. 26, by Peterson and Gill, re- lating to taxation; levying taxes upon gross income; providing for penalties: to Ways and Means.
 HB. 27, by Taylor and Johnson, to make housing available for World War II veterans enrolled in Educational institutions in the Ter ritory; making an appropriation and declaring an emergency; to Veterans.
 H. B. 28. by Taylor and McCut- cheon, to provide for licenses and fees for amusement devices and pinball and slot machine operators; regulating and controlling the use of said machine; providing penal ties for violation thereof, and for ot..ar purpc9ea, and declaring an emergency; to Ways and Means.
 H.B. 29, by McCutcheon, to ap- propriate $100,000 for construction of road between Naknek, Alaska, and the Hot Creek Airport near Naknek, Alaska; and declaring an emergency; to Roads
 HB. 30. by Hope and Hennings. to provide for maximum hours and minimum wages of labor, charging the office of the Labor Commis- sioner of the Territory with the re- sponsibility for the enforcement thereof. and declaring an emer- gency; to Labor.
 The House, after hearing the second reading of H.B. l, opened debate on the measure.
 Rep. M. J. Walsh, Second Divi- sion. moved that the proposed weekly payments be reduced from $25 to $20, warning that the end of wartime construction will mean 8 sharp increase in unemployment claims. He said if the fund. which reportedly now amounts to approx imately $8,000,00o is depleted by in- creased claims the weekly benefit amount" would necessarily be re- turned to the original $l6 which H.B. l would raise. Walsh's amend ment was downed, 19 to 4, after Reps. Taylor, Krause, Hoopes and Cain spoke.
 Krause pointed out that another amendment made in committee would change the effective date of the bill from July. l, l946, to Oc- tober, thereby deferring claims to be filed under the higher rates three months. He added that if the rates prove too high the legislature meeting in January, 1947, is em- powered to lower the rates.
 Rep. Hennings spoke for his ori- ginal bill decrying the amendment proposed to reduce weekly claims to $20 when the compensation fund sinks to $2,0OO0OO with the com ment that $25 weekly was little enough to live on in this territory in these days of high living costs"
 Shattuck rose briefly to urge that provisions be made to reduce rates payable by employers when the compensation fund is up. He said the bill as written is primarily for the working man, "and that is as it should be-" but he would like to see the employer benefit too. He was informed that the Territorial House is not empowered to alter amounts payable by employers.
 After the roll call vote on Walsh's amendment the body recessed until 1.30 pm. today.