The people's voice., 1959-01-23

ible for benefits under the fedora
program, which must be accepted be
fore April I. He outlined the two
factors to be considered were cos
and need. He submitted figures o1
about 100000 as the cost. The need
he said, could be met by the Public
Welfare Department, rather than in
dustry.
Before man can receive welfare
payments he must have exhausted al
of his resources.
TIMBER and Salvas said a program
through Public Welfare is no answer
to the man who wants to work, but
can find no job, and they did not
believe this should be a burden on
the general taxpayer. They pointed
out that unemployment compensation
helps to stabilize the economy and
most of the payments are spent over
the grocery counter.
Labor said it is not likely that any
of the federal money that goes into
the program Gall federal funds will
be used) will have to be repaid, and
if Montana does not participate they
will be in the position of paying for
the program through federal taxes
without sharing in it.
Al Root urged that the 100000
dollar reserve in the federal un-
employment fund be directed by
Congress for the purpose of helping
the unemployment situation, be-
cause, he said, that money has been
contributed by employers. He said
when you have a reservoir it is put
there to be used. He pointed out
that if it hadn't been for the IL
million dollars that had been put
into Montana economy in the last
few years from unemployment COM
pensation business in this state
would have been really bad.
OPPONENT WEEPS FOR "HONEST
AND SINCERE" WORKERS
Employer representative Robert J.
Lawrence, Montana Lumbermen's AS
sociation, presented four points in
opposition:
1. The present UCC law gives the
worker help while he
looks for and finds other employment.
2. The relatively few unemployed |
reside mainly in counties
but if HB 1 is passed it will approve
IL weeks extension and a possible
IL million dollars that will have to
De repaid the federal government by
employers in all Sc counties.
3. Any one who might be eligible |
may never again be able to return to
Jobs because of the possibility of new
of production that have abol-
shed their jobs and in this case II
or So weeks more would not answer
he question if their jobs no longer
exists.
A. This bill would allow the UCC
% automatically take advantage of
future funds made available by the
federal government-again and again
md again and it would be the
beginning of a federal dole.
And the genuine needs of
Unemployed workers who are hard
honest and sincere, said Mr..
lawrence, and who try to find other
work. may well have the payments
hey have earned jeopardized or cur
allied by those who would accept
rec ride for life, if it were offered
o them.
Montana Powers w. H. Coldiron
7arned that the only place MPCo.
oes when their taxes are raised. is
you know where, kiddo!
Norman Blevins said, after a man
has drawn all of his unemployment
comp he should then provide for
as an intermediate step,
then, when the determination has
been made that he cannot supply
for himself, the welfare needs must Ii
be met. f
Obviously Mr.. Blevins has not tried v
} Supply himself and his family" h
'r 22 weeks on unemployment COM e
and then continue to try c
Id supply himself on what he has Il