Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-07-20
BY RODNEY DUCTHER
NEA Srrvicr Writer

WASHINGTON, July uO.--hir.
Ben Marsh. the tall. gray veteran
radical who displays more activity
and gets more newspaper space
than anyone else among the nu-
merous persons II washington who
devote themselves 10 furthering
social causes. dashed into his
office with eyes agleam.
At last, MIR. Marsh averred, he
had found himself affiliated with
a mass movement and this remark
able discovery had given him the
keenest pleasure. Mr.. Marsh Is
sometimes thought to hold a
worlds record for being In the min
Ority.
Occasionally. in fact. Mr.. Marsh
has been a minority NIL by himself.
One OF the things that has kept
him busiest for years has been his
attempts TO persuade progressive
senators 10 sponsor measures and
1-Ograms which have frequently
G regarded by senators as two
or three hundred thousand years
ahead Of the times.
"Panacca- Promoter
liz Is also believed that MIR.
Marsh for many years has held
the championship for organizing
petitions presented to and COM
pletely ignored by officials In high
authority. especially presidents.
Very often Inc has been supported
by the signatures OF widely known
and respected persons. but the
ideas and the proposals above the
signatures have been enough To
hOrrify such conservatives as Re-
publicans. Democrats and some
times even most prOgressives. Mr..
Marsh. In short. Is our most per-
sistent and perhaps the most Hd-
vanced promoter OF what are con-
temptuously referred to by Pres
ident Hoover Us "panaceas.r
Nevertheless. everybody knows
Ben Marsh and most people like
him. Even the progressives, with
whom he IL generally disguised be-
cause OF their conservatism and
who keep complaining that Ben
spoils the appearance OF their pa
rade by dashing out 20 or 30 PAGES
In front.
Ben Is "a years old now and. as
Mother Jones used 20 say of her
self. the longer ne lives the more
radical he gets. His background in
cludes lengthy public service as an
expert on distribution OF popula-
ton and its congestion in New York
state and as a charity worker with
special reference 10 children.
For several years he has been
secretary and almost the entire
works or an organization here
known as the Peoples Lobby. the
president OF which is Professor
John Dewey.
Seeks JobIess Relief
Getting back to that gleam III
Mr.. Marsh's eyes and his boas- o.
really being ill on "a mass move
ment at last-he says that a ina
i0rity Of the American people want
a special session OF Congress 70
enact q program Of u%nemplCy-
ment relief. Otherwise. he ex-
plains. he would not now be able
10 produce a memorial to n : pres
ident and members OF Congress
signed by twelve hundred mayors.
economists. labor leaders. educa-
tors. preachers, priests, rabbits. Sal
walton Army officers. s~ociolosists,
publicists. community chest direc-
tors. Red Cross workers and other
social workers
The petition Is an impressive
record OF sentiment. but on g.
half Of 5000 900 unemployed whose
savings are virtually exhausted ard
who face acute distress. IL urges
federal appropriations OF $1,000
000.0 900 for public works. $3.50. 600. 900
for direct relief and $3.50. 900, 900 for
subVention Of state unemployment
insurance systems. No one really
expects President Hoover to comply.
Prominent Signcrs
Nevertheless the signers OF the
petition include such folks as
Dewey. Mayors Curley OF Boston,
Murphy OF Detroit and Hoan Of
Milwaukee. Professor Jerome Davis
OF Yale. Presidents Mcmahon 0f
the United Textile Workers and
Hillman OF the Amaigamated
Clothing Workers. Rev. DR.. John
"A. Ryan or the National Catholic
Welfare Council, President Keeney
or the West Virginia Mine Work
ers' Union, Professors =. "A. Ross Of
Wisconsin University. President
Frank ID. Adams az general on
venti0n Of Universalist churches.
President Marion Park OF Bryan
MaWr. DR.. Alexander Meiklejohn
Carl Vrooman. Sherwood Eddy and
many other well known folks who
obviously agree with Ben Marsh
that the employment situation Is
more than ever in need OF drastic
action.
MIR. Marsh now steps out after n
record for the number or siEners
on a single public petition.