The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-11

mended by existing federal agencies for
lief to the lower valley, so as to protect it
against recurrence of the present disaster,
be carried out promptly, and that the neces-
sary appropriation therefore be made
This is all the conference had to say ON MINED
late ADEQUATE RELIEF for the $1,000 home
less, foodess and ruined people in the Mississippi
Valley. No concrete demands upon the federal gov
eminent the Coolidge administration. No con-
crete proposals to how relief funds should be
secured and distributed. Only pious wish that the
which may be recommended by existing
federal agencies for relief. be carried out
promptly"
Undoubtedly, large numbers of delegates left the
conference very much disappointed and disillusioned
There strong feeling in the flooded area that
the Chicago conference might actually undertake
fight for immediate relief by the federal govern
ment. But the big capitalists and their political
henchmen. which dominated the conference from the
start had made it clear from the very first day
there would be forcing Of the governments hands
on this matter. And so the thing stands.
There was quite sprinlling of delegates at the
conference who undertook to speak the minds of
the farmers the workers and the small business
from the affected by the flood And the
demands of these people were that the conference
itself mainly with the problem Of immediate
relief The Chicago Evening American forced
TO report that:
"The problem Of immediate relief and re-
Mobilization of the flood-swept Mississippi Val
ence DESPITE LEADERS EFFORTS TO
GIVE THE RIGHT OF WAY TO PERNAN-
ENT FLOOD CONTROL PLANS" (Caps ours)
Randle T. Moore, speaking for the small business
men of Louisiana, made the following remarks:
''In our state easily 100000 persons and, prob
ably, half million in the entire flood area,
homeless. l have talked to many of these peo-
pie, and every single one of them has expressed
the desire to go back and start all over These
people have paper in the banks that they can
MT raeaf apdtb he hapk will have 70 ra~ thaD1
along. I am disc 49,; nted that the Federal Re
serve Bank did not have representative at this
meeting, and also I disappointed THAT IT
is NOT PROPOSED TO PLAN FINANCIAL
RELIEF AT THIS CONFERENCE tCaps Ours).
FLOOD CONTROL LEGISLATION CAN
WAIT, WHAT WE NEED NOW IS FTNAN-
CIAL AID"
The opposite point of view, representing the inter
ests Of big business, was expressed by William ].
Rathje president of the Mid-City Trust and Saw
ings Bank and chairman of the bankers division Of
the conference His opinion was:
That the purpose Of the conference is flood
control and not relief and that they in
attendance not as bankers but as delegates on
flood control
William J. Rathje has nothing TO worry about.
He is perfectly satisfied to leave the 300 900 home
less people to their own fate unless they to
him AS A BANKER and negotiate loans his
terms. This is the point of view Of Coolidge, Hoov
er and Mellon. This is the point of view Of the
United States Chamber Of Commerce. This is the
point of view that eventually prevailed at the Chi
cago Conference for Flood Control.
The hundreds of thousands of the flood victims
can expect exactly nothing from the capitalist poll
ticians and big business men that engineered and
dominated the Chicago conference.
What is necessary is immediate large scale relief
and financial aid. This is necessary not only in
der to million people of the richest country
in the world" from starvation, epdemics and DEATH
but also to save them from the merciless clutches
OF big business Hence, the demand for imrnedi-
ate extra session Of congress. Hence, the demand
for immediate federal appropriation of sufficient
funds for adequate relief and rehabilitation of the
flood victims. Hence, the demands that the relief
funds be administered by people who be trusted
with the protection Of the interests Of the farmers
workers and small business in the flood area
Matthew Vol, vice-president Of the American
Federation of Labor, is admittedly a very busy in
dvidual, always the lookout to do something big