Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-04
The Relief Program.

Congressional leaders very properIv
have determined to give measures for
relief of the unemployed and of the
drought-stricken farm areas right of
way. President Hoover in his annual
message to Congress has recommend
cd that an appropriation of 500, 900 900
70 $l5o,Ooo,o00 be made to accelerate
All construction during the next six
months" The President has further
proposed that this appropriation be
made distributable to the different de-
partments upon recommendation of a
committee OF the cabinet and approval
by the President"
Inis money is vitality needed to speed
up construction work by the Govern
ment during the Winter and Spring
months, not because the Government
is In hurry to complete construction
OF proJects-though avoidance of DELAY
Is oeslrable-but In order to give the
maximum employment possible on those
projects. thereby materially lessening
unemployment. President Hoover has
not asked Congress to hand over to him
$50, 100000 to be used as he and his
cabinet see fit. Every dollar is to be
expended on construction projects,
whether buildings for the Government
use, waterway improvement or road
building already authorized by the
Congress itzelf. His purpose in asking
Congress TO allow the cabinet and the
President to allot this money to the
various projects, fully authorized by
the Congress in past legislation, is to
make it possible to place money where
1t can be most quickly used TO give
employment to the workers. The pro-
posal makes for efficiency in dealing
with the major problem now before
Congress, to give prompt aid to the
unemployed.
Yet already criticism Of the Presi-
dents proposal has been raised in GER
tain quarters. Too much power TO place
In the hands of the President is the
suggestion Of the critics, and unheard
OF outside of war times. In an emer-
gency such as exists today the country
should call upon its Chief Executive
for aid. Mr.. Hoover is no stranger to
relief work. He has fair for it, proved
abroad as well as in the United States.
His congressional critics prefer to make
hard-and-tast appropriations of this
additional sum asked by the President
TO be expended on authorized projects.
Yet it is clear that it may be impos-
sibie TO expend this money for weeks
or months on the projects DESIGNATED
BY the Congress- due to tagging OF plans,
legal matters, the weather, etc. Under
the Presidents plan, it would be posi-
bic TO hit hard at the unemployment
situation with mobile fund of money
reaching into many millions Of dollars.
This Sl5o,o0o,0oO is not the sum total
Of the money to be expended by the
Government during the year on con-
struction work 1t is rather a small
proportion of the amount to be ex-
| pended, which will run, including the
new appropriation now asked. to $780,
600 600. Its appropriation, however, will
| permit the Executive TO deal more ell
GENTLY with the relief problem.
There is implied in the criticism OF
the Presidents plan a suggestion that
certain sections of the country hostile
i to the administration politically might
not fare so well in the distribution OF
the mobile appropriation as other Sec
tons. If this be true, it is the concep-
! ton Of small minds. Herbert Hoover
would never deny to suffering humanity
4, the relief which he might accord it, nc
matter where the relief were needed.