Evening star., 1946-08-03
.SenateAccepts
World Courts
Powers, 60-2
Social Security Act
Changes Among Final
Business of Session

ldVor OF American acceptance
OF compulsory jurisdiction for
the World Court, to settle inter-
legal disputes, as one of
the last acts Of the 10th Congress
late yesterday.
- This was far more than the neces-
sary two-thirds and, being in the
form OF a treaty resolution, did not
require House action. The two Sem
ators. voting against were LANCER of
North Dakota and shipstead of
Minnesota, both Republicans.
Social Security Amended.
The only major bills that went
through on the final day of the ses-
sion were:
A series of amendments to the So
cial Security Act and a $4,000, ,000, 900
last deficiency appropriation meas
ure, most of which is to meet the
cost OF terminal leave pay for en-
listed men of World War II.
Main features of the social secur-
ity bill, which is awaiting President
Truman's signature, are:
l. 1t saves wage earners and en-
ployers from a $4,000, 900, 900 in
crease in payroll taxes for old-age
insurance next year by postponing a
scheduled increase in this tax rate
from l to 212 per cent each on en-
ployer and employe, until the end Of
1947.
Increases Aid to States.
2. 1t increases Federal aid to the
States for pensions to the needy
aged, who have not been able to
build up insurance rights through
payroll taxes, and more liberal aid
to the blind and to dependent chill
dren.
8. II extends unemployment COM
pensation ccverage to 100000 mari
time workers
4. 1t gives survivors insurance
coveraee to the families of war vet
Grams who die within three years OF
discharge.
AS this partial revision of social
security went through, members OF
Congress declared themselves in
favor of more thorough restudy
of the entire program next year.
Included in the final appropriation
bill, along with the enlisted mems
terminal leave pay. was a s3o,ooo,-
900 fund to enable the Veterans
Administration to buy special auto
mobiles for war veterans who lost
the use of one or both legs. The
House late in the day concurred In
the Senate amendment for that
purpose.
Mental Research Postponed.
Funds with which to begin ths
new mental health research pro-
gram. including purchase of site
for the Mental Health Institute at
Bethesda, Md, were eliminated by
the House and put off until next
year
BY putting this country on record
for compulsory jurisdiction of the
World Court, the Senate reafirmed
its desire for international co-opera-
tion to preserve peace.
Before taking final action, the
Senate adopted. so to II, an amend
ment by Senator Connally, DEM
ocrat, of Texas to insure the right
of this Government to determine
when an issue is domestic rather
than international, and therefore,
not subject to the courts jurisdic-
ton.
The Senate, however. turned down,
48 to II, after extended debate, an
other proposed amendment by Sem
ator Millikin, Republican, of Colo
rado, to exclude cases involving
principles of international law on
which there has been no prior
agreement by the United States.
Opposed as Restrictive.
The Millikin amendment would
have added to the list of exemp-
tions the following:
Disputes where the basic law Of
the case is not found in existing
treaties and conventions to which
the United States is a party and
"hSAC tiiSAC iioS liOb UCCll pu IOI
agreement by the United States as
to the applicable principles of in
ternational law"
Senators Pepper, Democrat, Of
Florida; Morse, Republican. of
Oregon. and Taft, Republican, OF
Ohio, opposed the amendment as
too restrictive. Senator Thomas,
Democrat, of Utah, said he hoped
it would not be adopted, but indi-
Gated he did not fear it's effects
as much as some of the others did.
Senator George, Democrat, of
Georgia, conceded the right of this
country to make such a stipulation.
but questioned the wisdom of doing
so. He argued it would be unwise
to accept compulsory jurisdiction
and then restrict the court in field
where it has wide opportunity
to serve the world.
Senator Millikin contended he did
not want to have this country enter
4 contest where ''the referee makes
the rules as we go along"
During the final hours the Senate
passed and sent to the White House
egislation to authorize the admis-
lion to this country of Chinese wives
If American citizens.
The BulWinkle bill to exempt rail-
'oads from antitrust laws in the fix
ng of rates by agreement among
themselves died with adjournment.