| Show I L Prevailing Opinions Comment of the fhe American Press Social Insurance Defects Not all aU the opposition to the social security act has come from conservatives who are opposed to the principle of old age and unemployment unemployment unemployment un un- un- un employment Insurance itself In Inthe Inthe Inthe the current Harpers Harper's Abraham Epstein once research director of the Pennsylvania commission for old age ago pensions and for the last eight years executive secretary of the American Association for Social Social Social So So- cial Security launches a blistering blistering blistering blister blister- ing attack upon the measure Though it jt is the largest tax bill to come out of oC any congress it Is such a perfect labyrinth of constitutional con con- and administrative puzzles as almost to defy anal an an- al ls Mr Epstein deplores first of all tR the methods by which it was framed and passed The road to social insurance he reminds us has been trodden for nearly 50 years ears by more than a score of oC nations na na- na- na Successive steps were taken cautiously after alter prolonged de de- de bate The working out of a social I insurance program here required not only the most expert knowledge knowledge knowledge knowl knowl- edge but the most careful thought and deliberation Instead the pro problem b I e m was turned over to four of the busiest members of oC the presidents president's cabinet cabinet cab cab- inet lad and Mr MI- Harry Hopkins This committee deemed it Unnecessary unnecessary unnecessary un un- necessary to study the social in insurance insurance in- in experiences abroad or to consult the few authoritative A American students of the lem The European warnings s were not only ignored but their lessons directly challenged Ten basic subjects following three different theories of oC governmental government al operation and nd provi providing int for lor 52 different dl federal and state tax t. systems were crammed into ono one bill The rhe discussion in congress congress congress con con- gress was brief and desultory In Inthe Inthe Inthe the s senate nat not nol ev even n half a n column of ot the Congressional Record vaS was devoted to the unprecedented scheme of unemployment insurance insurance anC ance outside of the explanatory remarks while the reaching far old a age e insurance plan was given less cM than thon a page In his numerous criticisms criticism of oC the the- bill itself Mr Epstein poin points point out that it embodies s all U the three possible philosophies of government government government govern govern- ment 1 in grants-in-aid to states for for the needy ag aged d dependent mothers and the blind 2 a fed fed- state eral-state tax-offset tax scheme scheme for for unemployment insurance 3 a direct completely national plan plan pan for old age insurance The rhe grants- grants in-aid in are clearly constitutional and the only sound part of oC the social security act acl In the unemployment unemployment unemployment un un- un- un employment insurance section the federal government Jo by allowing only a 90 per cent instead of a full rebate of the 3 per cent payroll payroll pay pay- roll roH t tax x to employers in states that have adopted insurance acts not mere merely falls faUs to contribute but actually makes a disguised profit from rom Unemployment insurance Not all aU of Mr Epstein's criticisms criticisms criticisms would b be accepted by other authorities on social insurance but on most of them men of widely wide wide- Jy ly varying social outlook might Unite he They are re enough to show that the social security act is ii in need of oC a wide overhauling Such Sucha a basic reconsideration is called for as Mr Epstein points out if jf only to prevent the principle of social insurance itself from rom be being being being be- be ing brought Into popular discredit by association with a bad bill New York Times TitheS Changing Jury System 4 People are arc instinctively conservative conservative con con- cr aUve in voting changes in the jury sy system tem Notwithstanding tho the movement for less Jess than a unanimous v verdict i is making progress New York state has just approved a 10 iO to 2 verdict in civil c easeL cases ses California has long Jong had the p i to 3 verdict in such cases There are altogether 11 ii states which now recognize less Jess than unanimous verdicts in civil suits m Its The same reason for lor the five five- sixths or three-fourths three verdict In civil cases applies to to criminal cases that eases that a decision should not bo be blocked by tw two or ot three stubborn stub born erratic or venal jurors juror But sentiment generally still Insists on a unanimous erdi verdict t vh Where rc life liCe or liberty is at stake San San Francisco Francisco Francisco Fran Fran- cisco Chronicle Morally Obligated Fifty other nations are united In the most heartening evidence of collective action in the history of the world and it is unthinkable unthinkable unthinkable able that the United States will permit the effects of oC that action to be largely nullified by the greed of oC our m manufacturers n and ex ex- ex porters But it is not only because we are morally obligated that thal we should put a stop to shipments of ot war materials to Italy at the earliest possible moment That action is dictated as well vell by considerations con con- of oC self The self The Richmond Times f |
