| Show BOTH BOTti SIDES DISCUSS The Relief Issue The Republican View By J. J WILLIAM DITTER Representative from Pennsylvania Pennsyl vania and Member House W V P AI A I Investigating Committee e WASHINGTON Politics in relief and federal employment ag agencies again raises its ugly he head din in this election year 1940 as it did in 1936 and 1938 With the opening of the campaign campaign campaign cam cam- July W P A rolls began to mount Each su successive week showed progressive increases the total toW for the month reaching And this was in the face of increased industrial activity and announcements from the dep department de de- dep de- de p of labor that private employment was expanding Notwithstanding vast appropriations appropriations appropriations for defense resulting inmany inmany in inmany many new jobs relief rolls continued continued con eon to increase in August Augut and remain at virtually the same high level Under the Hatch act persons receiving incomes from the federal government ared are d debarred barred from political activity There is nothing In the law to prevent government agencies padding the relief rolls for political political political po po- po- po support New deal relief is a standing record of scandal and gance Congressional investigations investigations investigations dominated by Democratic members have exposed the unscrupulous unscrupulous unscrupulous un un- un- un scrupulous exploitation of the needy on W P A rolls in a dozen states Since 1933 the federal government has expended m more more re than for relief During each acl of ot the last two years yeara the total cost of ot relief was nearly three times that in 1933 yet the number of persons receiving re relief relief re- re lief payments in the latter years was actually less than in 1933 The inefficiency of ot the relief system the billions wasted on frivoloUs and unnecessary projects projects projects is only equaled by the futile attempts of the administration to reduce unemployment During seven seven years of the new deal 18 per cent of ot the labor for forge force e of the nation has been unemployed as compared with an annual average of 72 per cent during the 12 years 32 1921 period under under under un un- un- un der R Republicans publicans a a. period with two depressions No Republican no American favors favors' permitting those who are unemployed through no fault of their own to suffer But practical practical exper experience ence has demonstrated ed that with federal assistance the states and local communities can administer relief m more o 0 r e equitably equitably and more reasonably than when it is distributed by bya a vast federal machine This federal machine has great political political cal power however and nothing will induce the new deal to re relinquish relinquish re- re linquish control over over relief ex ex- ex- ex The administration attitude to toward toward toward to- to ward relief is similar to its position position position tion on other subjects Relief Re-lief is treated as an end in itself rather than as a temporary measure against the time when every willing worker shall have a real job If It you do not believe inthe in inthe inthe the form of political relief from Washington the new dealers proclaim you are opposed to relief re re- re- re lief you lief you would let the unemployed unemployed starve It Is a favorite new deal subterfuge that passes for argument argument ill if you object toa toa to toa a radical or wasteful method of achieving a desirable objective you are opposed to the objective Itself Relief Is a present necessity and will continue to be until the situation which requires this artificial artificial ar ar- artificial ar- ar system Is cured This cannot be done by wasteful spending of ot borrowed money It Itcan earl cart only be accomplished by a restoration of the balanced economie economic economic eco- eco nomie life of th the nation The new dea experiments Influenced by a group of radical thinkers about the executive have stalled investment and ind Industrial ity Capital has bias been frightened into hiding and business intimidated intimidated intimidated dated by administration antagonism antagonism antagonism and the arbitrary rule of Washington bureaucrats The solution of the unemployment ment problem the burden of relie re relief relief re- re lie lief the restoration of industrial activity and prosperity for the farmer are all closely related questions which must be worked out not as isolated Interests butas but butas as one Once the handicaps the new deal has placed in the way of business are removed there will be a a. revival of activity which will supply jobs for or those in forced idleness and those on relief Republicans are utterly opposed to tie the philosophy of the new deal which sees this country stalled on the dead center atthe at atthe atthe the peak of its us expansion Republicans Republicans Republicans Re Re- publicans are positive optimists on the future possibilities of the nation The demand today is for a a. change of atmosphere and attitude attitude attitude atti atti- tude in Washington Government Government Government Govern Govern- ment should be the umpire and should not attempt to be the general manager of the nations nation's business A vast reservoir of private capital only awaits reasonable reasonable rea rea- reasonable rea- rea security in investment Billions of this capital is needed for plant expansion and renewals that have been awaiting more favorable relations with govern govern- ment When agriculture and industry industry indus indus- try the capitalist and the laborer labor labor- er can work harmoniously with Washington n once more for the general welfare the need for relief re re- re- re lief will be largely eliminated and unemployment will wiil be re reduced reduced re- re to a minimum The Democratic View By PAUL V. V McNUTT l Federal Security Administrator W WASHINGTON N The W P A Awas Awas Awas was founded in the belief that work is better than a a. dole Most Americans still think so But there is another equally good reason for a public works program and that is is that there are a great many things that need to be done to build up the nation It is necessary that there be bean bean bean an extensive public works program program pro pro- gram grain in America This Is so whether there is unemployment or full fuJI employment It is only good sense however to speed speedup up and extend this program at ata a lime time when there are many men who cannot be absorbed into private employment During the past few years the public works and construction schedules have been t telescoped with the result that building programs In some parts of the country have been bee set ahead i sever several l years year This is all allt aUto t to the g good od We get th the improvements sooner than they would otherwise be available and we extend employment employment employ employ- ment at a time when it is most needed The truth is however that the magnitude of the recent public public pub pub- lic lie works program Is more apparent apparent apparent ap ap- ap- ap parent than re real l What has nas happened Is a proper and necessary necessary necessary sary transfer of much of the public improvement work from local to a federal tax basis In Inthis Inthis Inthis this way relief has been afforded afford aford- ed to local communities and the public has derived a third major benefit from the W P A pro pro- gram There has been much criticism of the W P A from quarters unsympathetic unsympathetic unsympathetic un un- un- un sympathetic with the adminis adminis- It is said that the expenditure expenditure expenditure ex ex- ex- ex of pu public lic funds and the increase in the public debt has weakened the nation so that we are the less prepared to in incur incur in- in incur cur the expenses of national de de- de The truth is that exactly the opposite is the case Our strength or weakness In the face of an International crisis such as theone theone the theone one we are now facing has nothIng nothing noth noth- ing to do with the local internal debt of 01 the of-the the nation It has a great deal to do with our industrial productivity the skill and morale morale morale mor mor- ale of our workers and the physIcal physical phys phys- ical and tangible equipment which can be utilized for defense purposes In m days of motorized armies It should not require much argument argument argument ment to demonstrate that we are In a much stronger position by reason of the Investment investment in investment in- in vestment during the past seven years In paved highways and streets Nor is it difficult to understand how valuable are the results of the invested in invested in- in invested vested in flood control reclamation tion rivers and harbors and power power power pow pow- er dams It has been n only a few weeks week since the nonpartisan defense commission demanded from the congress appropriations for an additional dam in the Tennessee valley We should be thankful for forthe the ones we already have Men are assets Th They are as assets assets as- as sets because of the useful work worl they can do So long as there are men in America who are able to work but unable to find jobs a a- aW W P A program Is es to our welfare So long as there are public improvements necessary it Is required for our our security The idea of a systematic program program program pro pro- gram of public works to help re regulate late unemployment and to obtain needed Improvements improvements' at ata iLta ata a time when they would otherwise otherwise other other- wise be neglected Is new to most people and it takes time for them to comprehend Its cance But when the public has thoroughly grasped the advantages advantages of the W P A it will be regarded as one of the greatest contributions of ot the administration tion to modern political economy |
