Evening star., 1931-12-28
IDLE RELIEF NEEDS
PUT AT TOO MILLION
New York and Chicago We'll
fare Workers Testify Be-
fore Senate Probers.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
An estimate that the Nation will
need to spend between $500, ,0O0, 900 and
$To0, 100000 next year to care for its
unemployed was made today before a
Senate committee.
Social workers from New York and
Chicago recited to Senate Manufac-
lures Subcommittee figures TO show
there would be insufficient funds from
private, city and State sources to carry
the load Of relief through the Winter.
William Hodson, executive secretary
Of the Welfare Council Of New York,
and Samuel A. Goldsmith, executive
director Of Jewish charities In Chicago,
told Of the needs In both cities. 1t was
Goldsmith who said between $500, ,000,-
900 and s7oo, 900, 900 would be needed
for relief during the next year. He said
all the Community Chests put together
had raised only $4,000, 900.
100000 Idle In Illinois.
Goldsmith testified there were 1,l0O,-
900 unemployed in Illinois, or one-third
OF the total Of those who want TO work
There were $4,000 unemployed in
Chicago, he said, and 425,000 outside of
Cook County in October.
The loss Of wages in Chicago amounts
to about $4,000, 900 day, he estimated,
while 100000 a day is expended in
relief. -....
Goldsmith said half of the emergency
fund has been expended, and members
of the Governors commission expect it
to be exhausted by February Is.
Beyond that there is no money"
Goldsmith said. Chicago has nothing
to carry on with beyond February 15."
Hodson testified that all resources,
public and private, are needed to meet
the relief problem.
United States Obligation Cited.
He added that the chief burden must
be borne out Of public funds-city
county, state and probably Federal.
The function Of the Federal Govern
ment, he said, is to encourage local
communities to meet their own problem
and add to their resources where rleces-
Sary.
At the outset of the hearing, Senator
Costigan, Democrat, of Colorado, told
the committee that nothing short of
Government help can provide necessary
relief for the unemployed.
Two bills are before the committee,
one by Costigan to appropriate $375,-
o00, 900, and another by Senator La Fol-
lette, Republican, Wisconsin, calling for
$3.50, 900, 600.
La Toilette is chairman Of the sub
committee. Other members are Costi-
gangan, Senators Cutting, Republican,
New Mexico; Hatfield, Republican, West
Virginia, and Wheeler, Democrat, Mon
tana.
Referring to opposition to the relief
measures on the ground that they would
constitute dole" Costgan said:
America must not starve while we
quinble over words. Throughout history
public money has been used to provide
for the poor"
Calls Funds Inadequate.
He said he had made survey of the
relief problem and found existing funds
inadequate"
Unreasonable distress and the need
for further relief were clearly shown"
he added.
The Senator said charitable resources
were heavily strained and some States
were on the verge of exhausting their
tax resources.
The first witness today was Hodson,
who said he was testifying as an indi-
vidual and not as a representative OF
the council
we cannot tell the total load we
must carry" Hodson said, "but the
total money in sight for relief is not
suficient to care for the families who
are going to be In need this Winter"
Hodson estimated there are 800, 900
L. O.Ht~
THE spectre Of starvation faces mill
lions OF people" he said, who have
never before known what 1t was to be
out Of job or what It meant to be UP
against 1t"
Hodson estimated the $50 900 families
and unattached persons in New York
were either in need or were receiving
some kind OF assistance.
About S25 ZOO, 600 from private funds
and $40 600 ,06e from public funds, Hod-
son said, would be available for relief
In New York.
Costisan asked If that would be
adequate.
THE funds now in sight are not |
adequate" Hodson replied.
Relief Basis "Too Low
The welfare expert said he believed !
the distressed should be permitted to |
live in "a reasonably decent way"
The present relief basis of $50 a |
month for family of five, Hodson said, |
lis entirely inadequate"
The witness said free medical facih- |
ties In New York are being taxed ~so /
the limit and beyond" He added that |
to some extent the increased demand |
for free medical attention was due to |
rnalnutrition.
He said, however, that the mortality
figures do not yet disclose an alarming
situation