Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1947-03-21
by
Clayton
Rusch


posal for an effective state fair
employment practices commits
sion. The numbers of the
FEPC bills are S. B. 10 and
S. B. 80. There is considerable
opposition to passage of a
strong FEPC bill from en-
ployer groups.
There is a good chance that
the bill will be either defeated
or amended in such a way as
to render it completely ineffec-
tive, despite the fact that both
political parties are committed
to support strong FEPC bill.
The bill will not reach the
floor of the legislature unless
it is favored by the Senate
Labor Committee.
An avalanche of mail to the
members of the Senate Labor
Committee, insisting upon pas
sage of a strong FEPC law, is
the only hope for passage of
legislation to prevent discrim-
ination during the present
term of the legislature.
The chances against passage
of a strong FEPC law appear
to be better than even. All of
us should sit down at once and
write to the members of the
Senate Labor Committee and
urge them to support passage
of a strong FEPC law.
OTHER ISSUE
The other issue of vital in
terest to us, which is also
under consideration by the
Senate Labor Committee, is
unemployment compensation.
There are two proposals on
this issue. Senate bill 112
would simply cut the rate to
the employers. We, the work
ers, of course, want no part of
such a bill. We should write
to the members of the COM
mittee and inform them of our
sentiments in the matter.
Senate bill 96 would elm
mate some of the ridiculous
disqualification clauses in the
unemployment compensation
law. These clauses now pre-
vent large numbers of claim
ants from receiving benefits.
1t would also increase the max
imurn weekly benefit from the
present S21 to $50. 1t would
increase the length of the
benefit period from % weeks
to 80 weeks.
1t can readily be seen that
from the viewpoint of labor,
Senate bill SO is one of the
most important pieces of legis-
lation to be considered for a
recommendation by a SUBJ
committee of the Ohio legisla-
ture this year.
Chances for passage of an
improved unemployment COM
pensation bill at present are
not good. A flood of mail urg-
ing support to the members of
the Senate Labor Committee
is the only chance of changing
this picture.
Unless the Senate Labor
Committee favors passage of
an improved unemployment
law and a strong FEPC law
these bills will never reach the
floor of the Ohio legislature.
IF WE FAIL
If we fail to swamp the Sen
ate Labor Committee with
mail on these issues we can
rest assured that neither a
strong FEPC law or an i'm
proved unemployment COM
pensation law will be passed
by the present Ohio legisla-
.ture.
The names of the commit
tee are Senators Roscoe r.
Walcutt (chairman), Fred G.
Reiners, Albert l.. Daniels, c. /.
Powell, Fred r. Seibert, David
Nick. Ferguson, Robert A.
Pollack, Carl d. Sheppard,
Clingan jackson. Address your
communications to the State
House, Columbus, Ohio.
Letters to the members of
the Senate Labor Committee
should be followed up by let
ters to the legislators from
Lucas County. Their names
are State Senators Raymond
Hildebrand and Virgil Cramer;
State Representatives Opal
Mundy, Fred Hunt, Ben Read
ing, Henry Bartell and George
Thompson.
The time to act is now.
We cannot achieve passage
of social legislation unless we
assure the election of progress
sive candidates. This requires
a large and active membership
in PAC. The 1947 member
ship drive is now on. Mem
bership is one dollar per year.
If you are not a member see
the PAC representative at
your local or shop or come to
our office and sign UP. Then
become active in our crusade
to assure world of peace and
plenty through passage of pro-
gressive legislation.