Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-22
PUBLIC CHARITIES
FUNDS ARE URGED
TO AID IN RELIEF
Continued From First Page.)

propriating Federal funds for drought
and unemployment relief. the question
arose today in connection with the
Burns report whether any provision
would be made in the Nation wide drive
for the Federal Government to con-
tribute to the relief fund. That in it
self Mr. Croxton declared. is a ques-
ton with which the committee can
make no definite statement. He en-
phasized that the purport of the Burns
report was to the effect that response
bility for the raising Of relief funds
rests with municipal and county gov
ernments.
Way Must BE Found.
IF it develops that with local re-
sources organized there are less favored
localities which will require outside
aid" Mr. Croxton said, "a way must be
found to relieve human distress in such
communities, and this will no doubt re-
quire assistance from more fortunate
localities. The extent of these areas
and the size of the problems can be
more accurately determined If organiza-
ton of local resources goes forward
rapidly"
Should an emergency arise highly out
side the possibility of local relief aid,
Mr. Burns pointed out. then the ques-
ton of Federal contribution of funds
probably would come up for a decision.
The drive, it was said, would be
known as the welfare and relief mobil-
ization" and will be conducted through
out the country from october 10 to
November 25, ending about two weeks
before the next Congress convenes.
Surveys in 1874 Cities.
Mr.. Burns preliminary report was on
the basis of surveys conducted In 1874
of the 376 cities to be included in the
drive. These findings are being analyz-
ed as they are received so that the
Presidents Employment Committee may
have a clear picture of the entire sit
uation before october 10.
Only two general conclusions can be
drawn from the information thus far
in hand, Mr.. Burns reported, but these
stand out with steadily increasing
boldnesS." First, that regardless of i'm
provement in business conditions the
relief demands will be greater because
of the exhaustion Of resources by thou
sands of families"
Second, that private philanthropy
cannot possibly raise all the funds to
meet aggregate demands" and that the
larger percentage of the direct relief
burden must be met through municipal
and county appropriations
Find No Exaggeration.
I'VE find there was no exaggeration
in the statement of the Presidents COM
mittee that no emergency since the war
has demanded the thoughtful help of
public spirited organizations more than
that of the present unemployment Sit
uation and the problems growing out Of
it," the Burns report stated.
Improvement in business conditions
cannot alter this phase of the situation
In many cities we find the number of
dependent families doubled over last
sarily indicate an increase in unem-
ployment; it means that thousands
of families, even where the bread
winner may have returned to work,
have reached the end of their resources
1t is evident that We must prepare now
for major task in social statesman
ship"
Referring to the fact that most of
the direct relief burden must be met
through municipal and county appro-
priations, the report pointed out that
public officials in many cities already
realize this"
City of Boston Aids.
"In Boston, for example, 95 per cent
of the direct relief burden is being met
from the city treasury, and there Is
every intention of maintaining this per-
centage In Chicago, with all its finan-
cial difficulties. at least of the relief
burden is being, and will be, met out Of
public funds.
I'm many places. notably Cleveland,
Philadelphia and New York, all funds
raised for emergency relief from private
sources have been exhausted. with the
year only half gone, necessitating not
only additional emergency campaigns.
but additional emergency appropria-
tions. The situation demands joint
planning in each city by public officials
and private welfare agencies"
In SO cities of $4,000 or more popu-
lation, the Presidents Committee on
Employment said today, the percentage
of direct relief aid from local tax funds
in 1929 was so per cent on an average.
In 1880, with the greater collapse OF
private philanthrophy, this percentage