Evening star., 1948-01-19
Truman Again Urges
Congress 10 Put uses
In Labor Department
Also Requests Transfer
Of Unemployment Security
Bureau From FSA
By Joseph A. Fox

President Truman sought to-
day to obtain through legislation
a reorganization plan placing the
United States Employment Serv-
ice permanently in the Labor
Departments proposal which
failed last year as an executive
order.
In addition to the request that
USES retain it's wartime status In
Labor, Mr.. Truman asked Congress
in special message to transfer
the Bureau Of Employment Security
to Labor from the Federal Security
Agency.
This plan will place the ad.
ministration of the employment
service and unemployment compen.
sation functions of the Federal
Government in the most appropri-
ate location within the executive
establishment and will provide fol-
their proper coordination" Mr..
Truman told Congress.
The President also asked for ap-
pointment of $10,000-a-year COM
missioner of employment to CO.
ordinate the employment service
and unemployment insurance acti-
vities in the Labor Department.
Move Beaten Last Year.
The Presidents effort to retain
the USES in Labor was rejected
last year when the House decisively
defeated the proposal and the Sen
ate turned it down by one vote.
Senate foes of the move objected
because the Presidents plan then
made no provision for putting the
Bureau of Employment Security
with USES. House opponents wanted
the Employment Service transfer
red back to the Federal Security
Agency where it would revert six
months after formal ending of the
war, in the absence of other action
Under the Reorganization Act, the
permanent transfer will be effec-
tive within so days unless Senate
and House reject the plan.
The USES originally was set up
in the Department of Labor in 1888
and transferred to Federal Security
six years later. Afterwards it be-
came a unit of the War Manpower
Commission and then with the end
of the war was shifted back to
Labor by executive order.
In his message, the President sale
that a Nationwide system of public
employment Offices which assis
workers to get jobs and employer.
to obtain labor belongs under tht
Labor Secretary. He added that tht
department already has within it!
organization many, but not all, 0.
the resources needed for the per.
formance of this role" He addec
that he considers it necessary ane
desirable" that the Employment
Service and employment security
functions be added to the others.
The President pointed out thai
employers are using the facilities o1
the employment. Offices more thar
ever before and that "as practica
matter" the functions of the Bureat
of Employment Security which adj
ministers Federal activities relating
to unemployment compensation
have proved to be intimately re.
lated to those of the United States
Employment Service"
Finds Duties Require Head.
In support of his proposal for the
creation of a commissioner OF en-
ployment, the President said: by
reason of reorganizations made by
this plan, I find that the response
bilities and duties of the Secretary
of Labor will be of such nature as
to require the inclusion In the plan
of provisions for the appointment
and compensation Of commissioner
of employment to coordinate the
Employment Service and unemploy.
ment insurance activities within the
department. The plan also provides
that the Federal Advisory Council, a
group representative of labor, OF
management and the public author
lied by the Wagner-Pyser Act, shall
advise the Secretary and the COM
missioner on the operation of both
the Unemployment Compensation
System and the United States
Employment Service"
The Employment Service has been
battle-ground between the Presi-
dent and Congress for nearly two
wears. On one occasion the Presi-
dent vetoed legislation that would
turn the administration OF local
unemployment offices back TO the
States from which they were re-
moved as war measure, Later,
however, a measure Of the same sort
was approved.