Communist Party of America
 More than 70,000 people at a Community Party Rally in New York |
The Social Security Act also had critics on the left. In a House hearing on the Act early in 1935, the Communist Party sent a representative named C. A. Hathway to testify. “We do not believe that this bill can be amended in the interests of the workers,” Hathway said of the legislation, at the time called the Economic Security Bill and introduced in the Senate by Democrat Robert Wagner. “In our opinion, the Wagner bill is not designed to provide social security for the masses of the people. In our opinion this bill is designed, rather, to provide security for the rich who dominate the country. The aims of the sponsors of the Wagner bill, in our opinion, are, first, to quiet the masses who are today increasingly expressing their discontent with the crisis conditions that exist by offering them a sham measure that will give them in reality nothing.” |
Hathway said the Communist Party instead supported more extensive legislation in the House known as the Frazier-Lundeen bill, which, among other things, mandated unemployment insurance that paid the prevailing local wage for the entire duration of unemployment, funded by a tax increase on incomes over $85,000 in today’s dollars.
Are you aware of our Comment Policy?
BillMoyers.com encourages conversation and debate around issues, events and ideas related to content on Moyers & Company and the BillMoyers.com website.
If your comments consistently or intentionally make this community a less civil and enjoyable place to be, you and your comments will be excluded from it.
We need your help with this. If you feel a post is not in line with the comment policy, please flag it so that we can take a look. Comments and questions about our policy are welcome. Please send an email to info@moyersmedia.com
Find out more about BillMoyers.com's privacy policy and terms of service.