The Washington times., 1931-10-21
PROGRESS|VES
.PLAN To AID
JOBLESS
Will Demand Legislation OF
Hoover as Price For Votes
On War sDebt Moratorium
BY WILLIAM C. MURPHY. Jr.

wv "0' '~"
By WILLIAM C. MURPHY, Jr.
Senate ProgreSsives are mobiliz-
ing to force enactment Of sub
stantial legislation for unemploy-
ment relief as their price for per-
mitting prompt approval Of Presi-
dent Hoover'S one-year moratorium
on reparations and war debts.
That was indicated today as
the primary purpose of the mystic
rious conferences held yesterday
between Governor Clifford Pin
chot, of Pennsylvania. and Sen.
ate Progressives Of both parties.
Has Ignored Demands
Because President Hoover has
ignored the demands Of Pinchot
and others for o special session
Of Congress to deal with unem-
pIOynnent, the PrOgressives now
feel they have the President i'm
q position where they can obtain
what they want by other
methods.
They take the position that re.
lief for American citizens Is as
important as relief for European
governments and that the former
constitutes a much more pressing
obligation upon the American
Congress.
Since the moratorium legisla-
ton must be approved before De.
cember Is, if the principal Eu-
ropean nations are not to be
clasSed as defaulters on obliga-
tionsl maturing on that date, the
ProgreSsives are in a particularly
strong strategic position.
The regular session OF Con-
gress does not convene until De-
cember II, and an abnormal de-
gree of cooperation all around
would be required to put through
legislation of that Importance in
one week.
Cam Block Action
1t is recognized that 1t would
be a simple matter for o small
group in the Senate to prevent
action, even IL the bill is not
delayed by the anticipated con.
trOversy over organization Of the
House.
just what form the. Progressive
program will take is still a mat
ter of discussion, but it will
certainly include a proposal for
considerable Federal appropri'
alton to provide direct relief in
the form of food, clothing and
shelter for the unemployed.
Several members of the group
have indicated a favorable at
titude toward the $4,000, 600, 900
prosperity loan" proposed by
William Randolph Hearst, and
it is more than possible that
this may be adopted as a part
Of their program.
In addition, there will be q
movement for enactment of the
Wagner bill to create a Federal
employment service which was
passed by Congress during the
last session but vetoed by Presi-
dent Hoover.
Politics i'm Background
In the background of this Iegis-
lative maneuvering will be pOliti-
cal considerations bearing ON the
1882 Presidential campaign. Sew
eral Of the PrOgressives are still
toying with the idea Of putting
candidates i'm the field to oppose
the President i'm the coming Presi-
Dental preference primaries.
Most of them have no serious
belief that a Progressive candi-
date could win the nomination,
in fact, they are not yet con-
vinced they could prevent the re-
nomination of Mr.. Hoover.
But they realize that such tao.
tics would publicize their long
standing contention that the
President should devote more
energy to the problem of relieving
the sufferings Of unfortunate citi.
zenS, even If some time had to be
sacrificed from efforts toward solv-
ing European economic problems
or relief for the banks and rail
roads.
Then, if Governor Franklin
Roosevelt, of New York-upon
whom most of the Progressives
look with friendly interest should
be the Democratic presidential
candidate, some Of the Progressive
group feel their efforts would have
been worth while.