RELIEF FOR WORKERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 January 1942, Page 4

RELIEF FOR WORKERS

DURING TRANSFER TO WAR INDUSTRIES PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT ASKS FOR FUNDS. SPECIAL APPROPRIATION NEEDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Dtiy. 10.55 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 21. President Roosevelt, in a letter to Mr Speaker Rayburn, has asked for an emergency appropriation of 300 million dollars to relieve unemployment caused by the conversion of industrial plants to war production, and a drastic curtailment of civilian consumption. Mr Roosevelt said the thousands thrown out of work would eventually be absorbed into war industries. In the meantime there would be widespread distress unless the Government took appropriate action. He was convinced that the best solution would a uniform national system of unemployment insurance, such a system to be financed by payroll contributions. Such legislation. however, would take more time than the present emergency would permit and he therefore recommended a special supplementary appropriation to extend the protection now afforded, so that employees at present uninsured would be afforded protection. Mr Roosevelt recommended that displaced employees receive weekly benefits of approximately sixty per cent of their wages, but not exceeding 24 dollars a week, for six months.