Evening Star Newspaper, September 25, 1936, Page 8

IDLE AID SYSTEM written in Washington for the whole ‘country, -mmmmmcm sition. conditions at all. “Federal agents would have to decide, for example, such questions as whether STIRS ARGUNENTS £ put Plan Attacked as Slow and Cumbersome, by Some. Others Defend It. 7 The far-reaching eflects of the few social security program, now & leading topic in the national political fleld, are discussed here in the sirth of a series of articles based on a Wrst-hand survey of the operation of the system in several States, as well as.of the central administration in Wash- ington. BY BLAIR MOODY. ‘Unemployment insurance has been in effect a national policy for lttle more than a year, and campensation checks are being paid i only one Btate, Wisconsin, yet & bittar.dispute is already raging as to the system should not be radically changed. Some of the Nation's leading au- thorities, who agree thoroughly" with the Federal social security act in prin- eiple, are ripping into the compensa- tion program as slow, cumbersome, unnecessarily complicated, inadequate and in some respects unjust. They want to know what is going to happen to wage earners in States where no corollary laws are passed. They term the scheme under which the Federal Government collects a huge pay roll tax and remits 90 per cent of it to “spproved” States, foolish red tape. They criticize this tax as “regressive” and predict that unless provision is made for the Government to “contribute” from other forms of taxation the program will not stand up. And they inquire why 50 systems and 50 laws are needed—one each for ‘Uncle Sam, the 48 States and the Dis- trict of Columbia—when one could do the job more simply. . Split Group .of Experts. ‘This is no new argument. It tore the group of experts for the Presi- dent’s Committee on Economic Secur- ' ity, who laid the foundation of the Pederal act, into wrangling factions. It is an issue that caused a battle un- ser the White House roof and through the halls of Congress and has con- tinued since. The critics who have been involved in various phases of this running argu- ment include some of those who have fought for social security longest and know most -about it—such men as Abraham Epstein, executive secretary of the American Association for Social Security; Bryce Stewart of Industrial Relations Counsellors, New York, who was No. 1 consultant on unemploy- ment compensation for the President's committee, and Prof. Paul Douglas of the University of Chicago, recognized as one of the Nation's leading experts. This group chifly favors, enactment of a Federal system instead of the present scheme of 49 systems con- trolled only loosely from Washington. They contend it is hopeless to- expect uniformity’ in a program that is brought' into being by 49 legislative bodies, and it is not fair to the wage earner to be discriminated against on & basis of where he happens to live. Cite Difficulties. ‘Then they. say, in effect, “If we're going to have unemployment compen- sation, let’s have 1t,” and point out that it may be years before all of the State Legislatures get around to pro- tecting the workers in their States. ‘They inquire what system has been devised to handle a situation where & wage earner moves from one State to another State having a different system, or no systemy They point to the complications a multiplicity of di- vergent laws will cause for companies doing business in several States. But there's a great deal to be said #n the other side. Just as able experts, including the members of the Security Board and Prof. E. E. Witte of the University of Wisconsin, who was secretary of the President’s committee, stand four-square for the Federal- State program. In the first place, this group argues, &t is all very well to say that a Federal system would be uniform, universal and uncomplicated, but to put such a system down on paper. is something else again. When the “Federal group” of ex- perts demand that the program be unified, each has in mind his own 4dea of what the single law should b~. And most of their ideas differ in im- portant aspects. It would be impos- sible to satisty them all, even if Con- gress would rubber-stamp anything the experts agreed on, Problem in Congress. And, of course, Congress wouldn't. A criss-cross of lobbies for special in- terests would descend on Capitol Hill. The Southern Senators, who always oppose high pagyments of any sort to colored persons, would fight for a low weekly compensation level, while the Northerners would demand a level sdequate in the big cities. Yet the North would not want the South to Teceive the same figure. And if it didn't, the act certainly would be fnvalidated as discriminatory. Should the funds be held in one Pool, for all the eligible unemployed, as in New York? Should they be kept in reserve accounts earmarked under each company, as in Wisconsin? ©Or should there be a cross between those two systems, and, if so, exattly what? Try to-write the bill “One reason we favor a Federal- Btate system over a centralized plan is that it ‘permits flexibility to meet local conditions,” explains Arthur J. Altmeyer, member of the Security Board. “It provides a finiform tax on all employers, so that States will be enabled to-pass laws without dis- criminating against their industries In the field of national competition, et it leaves the way open for di- versity of detail that is absolutely Decessary in such a large country. “And this system would be too com- plicated to handle from Washington. It would create a great bureaucracy that would have to delve into the inti- mate business of far-off States. Its sgents would be operating under rules o ESTABLISHED 1865 o DRY LUMBER Gives Lasting Sepisfaction Barker improved ond modem facilities keep Barker lumber clways dry. Complete stock of all kinds and sizes on hand for prompt delivery at low prices. 6T0.M.BARKER © COMPANY o LUMBER and MILLWORK €49-651 N, Y. Ave. NW. . 1523 7th St N.W. And perhaps not valid, either. Status Under Law. Prof. Douglas contends that ‘the Government has power to tax fd also has power to spend. So, it is rumored, do & lot af gentlemen hold- ing important jobs in tie New Deal. But Douglas says this power would validate & huge Federal compensation system, while the New Dealers are & bit skittish on the subject of the Supreme Court. They think the law is much more likely to stand if it Sax fe ] i to develop finally & system with fewer “weak spots.” {Copyrisht, 1936, by the North Ameriesn Newspaper Alliancs, Ine.) LRI SR | SR Queen Verifies Guess. A man and his wife were visiting Ely Cathedral, in England, when one remarked on the likeriess of another visitor to Queen Mary. The . visitor turned toward them. -“Good morn- ing,” she sald. It wss Queen Mary. She was paying s surprise visit to the cathedral, where shé stayed for more than an hour. on- . Lee A, Turner, 1216 U street, $10. Fred C. Bishopp, Maryland, $10. " Owen O, Hare, §342 Forty-first stieet, $10. m:m,:mxwm $10. Aubrey N. Johnson, 2115 Pennsyl- vanis avenue, $10. Leland D. Abrams, 2321 PFessenden street, $10. Arthur W. Smith, 11 8 atreet, $10. $185. David Kaplan, Randall Apartments, $15. Alfred G. Brown, 1910 K street, $15. | Va., Emest. R. Lohmann, 5711 Fourth street, $15. Santus McGueeney, 1925 Bladens- burg ‘road northeast, $10. Joe 8. Turoski, Maryland, $10. Albert T. Byrd, 2540 Fourteenth street, $10. Beverly P. Dronenburg, 833 H street northeast, $10. v James F. Conway, Cluhnlfi. ©Ohio, 30 days. Major T. Covington, Bestland, Va., 30 days. Grant A, Deshaser, Temple Hills, Md., 30 days. Walter V, Elliott, East Falls Church, 0 days. Harvey M. Epps, Baltimore, 30 days. ‘.)llchul ©O. Godack, Baltimore, 15 \ys. Nell E. Gordon, Baltimore, 30 days. “vzl.uun flrfl, Beat Pleasant, Md., ys. ldnrd B. Harwood, Brooklyn, Md., mmmn.rhmm- .30 days. uit OF WEAR-LO I G WO STED g THE oak is sturdiest among trees. Wearlong Worsted, the fabric from which Saxon-Weave Suits are made, is sturdiest among fabrics. It will take a great deal of wear, yet is as soft and flexible as a fine imported worsted. The Saxon-Weave has re- markable wearing qualities—a fabric that is hard to wrinkle (saving dollars on pressmg bills) and “does not shine, ‘a feature that every man’ will appreciate. - Saxon-Weaves are in-the popular Glen Urquhart » Plaids, Alternating English Stripes, Subduedr.fllech and plain greys, blues, browns and mixtures, ' Enjoy the Con;'eniedeq" of a Charge T CO. EFEBIM. S.AE 10-20- 30 40-50- 70 GH HEAT-RESISTING QUALITIES REATER NATURAL OILINESS - LASTS LONGER < LONGER LRA LIFE A Head of Style “EASTBURY" 34 Mallory goes 1937 in the Eastbury, the hat for men who know the art of dress. It has a slightly lower crown and a little more brim than last year's shapes. These features'show the trend toward British fashions this year. A style that is being universally accepted. llory’s are cravenetted to resist moisture, (Men's Hats, Second Floor. The Hecht Co) SEMI-ANNUAL SALE Packard Arch-Ups 6.85 REGULARLY SELL FOR 8.75 Last 3 Days! Saturday. Monday and Tuesday! Your last chances to get in on this Semi-Annual Sale of Packard ArchUp Shoes at 6.85. Our entire * stock is on_sale. ~You save 1.90 on every pair you purchase. A saving of ‘more than 20%. Don’t let that slightly fallen arch cause you any more trouble. Packard Arch-Up shoes gently but firmly support the arch and give you that heretofore unknown comfort of walking. Sizes 5 to 12; widths AAA to E. (Men's Shon. Main Floor, The Heeht Co.) » F Street at Seventh NAtional 5100