OCR Text |
Show Relief-The Fourth Largest Business America is a land that prides itself on its high standard stand-ard of living. And it is not a false pride, for Americans have more comforts and conveniences than any other people peo-ple all because America has pioneered in the development of these modern things through industrial expansion. Withi that expansion millions of jobs were created' so those millions mil-lions could buy the things they produced. Now, however, America finds itself alarmingly going! backward instead of forward toward an even higher standard stand-ard of living. ' Consider the hundreds of ways in which the 130,000,-000 130,000,-000 people of our country earn or receive their living. Broken down into classifications, we find now that relief at the expense of the taxpayer and the public purse ranks fourth. That means that more people are now being supported on relief rolls than by such other industries as mining, public utilities, transportation and construction. Only manufacturing, farming and the service trades rank above relief. Why, people ask, has relief become a "big business"? There are many theories, but it is interesting to note that; it has advanced materially during the past five-year era ofj government pump-priming and indiscriminate "emergency" spending. Since 1933 the staggering total of more than $16,000,- 000. 000 has been poured into the relief channels. By July 1, 1939, according to current government spending estimates, esti-mates, the total will mount to at least $20,000,000,000. Some people say Federal spending is a political expedient. exped-ient. Perhaps it is, but we wonder if, in the long run, industrial in-dustrial America and its high living standards can survive if relief finally becomes the first ranking business of tha country? Relief is not a productive enterprise and Arr.2ri-ca Arr.2ri-ca must produce to exist. |