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Show National Topics Interpreted 1 . by William Bruckart J0fflP& National Press Building Washington. D. C. j&jZ&R. Washington. One swallow does not make a summer nor does one statement, even though from a high official, make a conditioi. absolute. But one state-Relief state-Relief ment from a high Problem ofliclal under the present New Deal relief setup comes rather close to disclosing the transcendent importance im-portance of the nation's relief problem prob-lem in American economy at this time. I refer to the recent testimony by Harry A. Hopkins, Works Progress Administrator and professional reliever, re-liever, before the house' committee od appropriations. He told that group a few days ago that 3,S53,000 heads of families or unattached persons per-sons were receiving a livelihood for themselves and their families from the federal government on March first of this year. If this be true, and it can hardly be disproved, there are nearly fifteen million persons dependent entirely upon Federal assistance. as-sistance. And the condition appears even worse when it is shown that about ten million others are receiving receiv-ing assistance from state, county and city relief or charitable organizations. organ-izations. In short, the Hokpins testimony tes-timony reveals that about 20 per cent of all of our people are living on relief money. These figures are astounding. They are made the more amazing when one considers that the condition condi-tion exists even after the New Deal has expended approximately twenty-one billions in its three years of government management, the bulk of the outgo being directly chargeable to what Mr. Roosevelt has consistently maintained was an emergency. I have reported to you intermittently intermit-tently heretofore the various stages through which Reliever Hopkins has gone In search for means to solve the relief problem. I have been among those observers here who have felt that even though Mr. Hopkins lacks practical experience in commercial life and even though he casts aside every consideration except those inherent in the mind of a man who has devoted his life professionally to relief work, that he should be given time to solve the problem, it seems to me, however, how-ever, that he has had ample time to find the answer if he is going to provide a solution. Neither he nor President Roosevelt has given any indication yet that they know the answer or even have a clew to it The net result of their efforts to date has been the expenditure of money in unprecedented amounts and the piling up of a debt, the like of which this country never has known. Mr. Hopkins has gone about his job smugly and with that apparent complacency that characterizes the official who is convinced that he alone is equipped to do a particular particu-lar job. By his attitude, he has created in congress a feeling that he thinks he Is a superior being, and if anything makes a congressman congress-man hot under the collar, it is to see a member of the executive branch exhibit a pose that the congressmen con-gressmen are dumbbells. Some of them are, of course, but that Is not true of all and it is fast doing Mr. Hopkins no good at all to show arrogance ar-rogance toward the men who go out and campaign directly for the votes of the people. I said that the relief problem was of transcendent importance In ... . governmental af- Visionary falrs at this tlme Policy This is true because be-cause I believe the conviction is growing that the whole New Deal policy on relief is impractical and visionary; that it is founded upon a wrong psychology; psychol-ogy; that it is creating In this nation na-tion the greatest mass of panhandlers panhand-lers and "the world owes me a living" liv-ing" type or class of Individuals that has ever existed, anywhere and that, in addition the men who are doing the job for the federal government gov-ernment lack the ability to understand under-stand its whole significance. As proof of the observations I have just stated, let me point out how the demands for vast expendi-i expendi-i tures of money and wholesale methods of relief for the destitute have subsided In congress. Time was when a half dozen so-called welfare workers, college professors or organization leaders could get a hearing by the simple crook of a finger before a congressional committee. com-mittee. Such men as Senator La Follette of Wisconsin, and Senator Costigan of Colorado, and the late Senator Cutting of New Mexico, to mention only a few, would weep salty tears in senate speeches; they would call for ten billions for this and five billions for that and other billions for other things and shout that people were starving In the midst of plenty. And thev were starving in the midst of plenty, but the shouting and the tumult raised by these political saviors did not provide a solution for the problem I have a hunch that the silence of such men as these through the last year can mean onlv that they were off on the wrong foot. Thev cannot help but realize that their theories were all wet, because Mr. Hopkins certainly has disproved the value of their plans. Another indication of how congress con-gress feels is the movement to divide di-vide the billion and a half relief fund, which, President Roosevelt asked, between Mr. Hopkins and Public Works Administrator Ickes. The President demanded that congress con-gress give the whole fund to Mr. Hopkins. It probably will work out that way eventually but the feeling against Mr. Hopkins cannot be denied. de-nied. It Is violent and only a small part of it has come to the surface. The congressmen could not afford to see the flow of money cut off in an election year so they maneuvered to spank Mr. Hopkins by seeking to give a portion of the money to Mr. Ickes. Now, it is currently rumored that Mr. Ickes, who never has liked Mr. Hopkins, has done some lobbying in the fine underground manner of which he is capable. He sincerely believes that the use of funds In the construction - of permanent things like buildings, roads and bridges gives the government and taxpayers taxpay-ers at least something for their money. But, be that as it may, the ground swell against Mr. Hopkins is very powerful and if Mr. Hopkins Hop-kins possessed any understanding of the science of the times he would see It. Thus far he has given no indication in-dication that he understands what it means. Where will it all end? The answer to this relief problem prob-lem is not now What's near enough to the Answer? hazard a suess. Let us go back for a brief review. When President Roosevelt took hold of the relief problem early in his administration, he advanced two theories. They were to solve our problems and solve them quickly. He urged the NRA and the PWA, which with the AAA, formed the first battalion of the alphabetical army. The NRA was designed to regiment business and indirectly force re-employment by the shortening of hours and the spread of work. The PWA was to provide a lot of construction jobs immediately, giving work to those not absorbed in private commerce and Industry and thus take up the slack until buying power of individuals individ-uals had been restored. By November, 1933, It became quite evident to unbiased observers that NRA and PWA were falling short of the mark. So, out of the Presidential hat came the CWA. Congress promptly provided funds so the Civil Works administration and here is where professional reliever, re-liever, Mr. Hopkins, came on the scene co ild hire such unemployed as had not been absorbed by PWA or had not been restored to jobs in commerce and industry by NRA. It was not long until CWA was as much in disrepute us the original orig-inal schemes for providing employment. employ-ment. I believe it was in even greater disrepute because ordinary citizens could see the utter waste and the reckless expenditures of money occurring under CWA for Its relief raking and stone gathering and other nonsensical job-creating results. CWA went the way of any unsound proposition. Forward then came FERA. It was a proposition of emergency relief. Washington writers were deluged with speeches and statements that none should be allowed to starve. The spigots of the treasury were opened wide and $4,SSO,000,000 gushed forth. In every section of the country, federal money was distributed dis-tributed and distributors in Washington Wash-ington were none too careful of how they passed it out In parallel lines with FERA, the politicians formed to the right They saw'the money and from precinct to pinnacle pin-nacle of politics, they were on the job and they have been on the Job ever since. Last year the President became convinced that there was too much t n i waste; that FERA 1 oo Much was building up a Waste clientele of millions mil-lions who were saying, both publicly and privately, that It was no use to work when the government would feed them and he ordered a quick change in course. With this change In course came a locking of horns between Messrs Hopkins and Ickes. Mr. Ickes was licked by the simple expedient of a new federal agency. Bounding forth came Mr. Hopkins' own brain child VPA. While It stands for Works Progress administration, a different name, the initials, to those who have studied the situation, spell I ERA and CWA combined The President announced to the country that "this business of relief re-lief must end." Those who could not be employed must be taken care of by the states and local Governments Gov-ernments and those who were "cm-Ployable "cm-Ployable would be taken olT relief but they must do work for the funds which the federal government passed out to them. Wi-Btof, Nowsuaoor Union. |
