SECURITY BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 145, 21 June 1935, Page 7

SECURITY BILL.

AMERICAN MEASURE. Far-reaching Scheme of Social Reform. SENATE GIVES APPROVAL. <United P.A.—Electric Telegrapff— Copyright) » "NEW YORK, June 20. The "Washington correspondent of the "New York Times" says the "New Deal's" contribution to social security, called by some the most comprehensive measure of its kind ever adopted at any single session by any national Parliament in the world, was approved by the Senate, in the passing of the Wagner-Lewis Bill in a somewhat different form from that already passed by the -House of Representatives. The measure now goes to a conference with the House. It contains a broad programme designed to cover about 20,000,000 wage earners.

The Security Bill <covers old-age pensions to indigent elderly people under a system of compulsory Federal and State contributions, unemployment insurance, aid to dependent mothers and children, and aid to the blind.

The measure, which is much more inclusive than when it was introduced in its first form by President Roosevelt in November, is said to be wider in scope than has ever before been attempted anywhere in piecemeal form. Its very scope brought repeated and vigorous" objections from its opponents, who fought unsuccessfully against it. Among the specific provisions of the bill are:—The payment of 50,000,000 dollars iu pensions by the Government in 193G; only American citizens are eligible; 3,000,000 men and women of the age of 05, who are penniless and homeless, will be pensioned off on "poor farms"; the Federal Government will provide dollar for dollar contributions with the States; workers will be taxed 1 per cent of their wages as a contribution to the fund, and alien workmen will be included. Employers will deduct worKers* contributions from their pay envelopes and add their own assessments to them; all workers will be pensioned at the age of 05; the existing private pension systems be interfered with. A sum of 25,000,000 dollars is appropriated for orphans and dependent children, and 11,000,000 dollars for the welfare and vocational 'education of the blind. ■,

CHARGES QUALIFIED. Allegations of Malfeasance in Official Quarters. NO DIRECT EVIDENCE. WASHINGTON, June 20. Under direct questioning at a meeting of the Commerce Committee of the Senate yesterday Mr. Ewing Mitchell, formerly assistant Secretary of Commerce, seriously qualified his charges of malfeasance against branches of» the Department. Nevertheless at one stage of the hearing he asserted that President Roosevelt personally had ordered approval of the agreement with the International Mercantile Marine Corporation, whereby the Leviathan was withdrawn from operation. "This," said Mr. Mitchell, "represents a plaiii attempt to make a gift of 1,720,000 doljars of Government funds to Messrs. Vincent Astor, Kermit Roosevelt and P. A. S. Franklin." Mr. Roosevelt at a conference with journalists at White House, said he had approved the retirement of the liner because it was silly to require the operating company to take a loss if it agreed to apply the amount of that loss to the construction of new ships. Mr. Mitchell ill the course of his testimony was compelled to admit that ho had no evidence of direct bribes. He insisted that he had alleged only an appearance of corruption.