The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-12-25
RELIEF BILLS
ASK MILLIONS
FOR JOBLESS
Costigan and La Toilette
Lead Fight to Aid
Unemployed.
HEARINGS NEXT WEEK
Hoover Veto Is Expected to
Halt Move for Federal
Appropriation.
BY LYLE C. WILSON
United Press staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.-Sena-
torial enjoyment of the Christmas
holidays is to be interrupted by
consideration of bill for federal
relief to the countryS unemployed.
Two relief bills are pending be-
fore the senate manufactures COM
mittee. Senator CoStigan Oem.,
Colo) would appropriate 1915, 100000
to help feed and shelter the job
less this winter and next. Senator
La Toilette (Rep., Wis., sponsors
a bill to appropriate $3.50, 100000
Hearings on these measures will
begin Monday or Tuesday. Both
projects are in direct defiance of
President Hoover'S policy that there
shall be no expenditure of federal
funds for direct unemployment re-
lief.
The hearings will offer opportu-
nifty for representatives of national
organizations of social workers to
state the degree of suffering now
existing and the potential hard
ships confronting the unemployed
throughout the cold months.
Aid Held insufficient
The first group of witnesses will
be largely from New York and
Philadelphia. A representative of
the Russell Sage Foundation will
present statistics on unemployment.
These are expected by Costigan to
demonstrate that local relief funds,
such as have been sponsored by
Walter S. Clifford in behalf of Mr..
Hoover, will not be sufficient to
cope with the relief problem in the
next seventeen months.
1t is estimated that from 100000
to 100000 persons are without
work. A year ago, during the
Christmas holidays, there were
senate committee hearings at which
Arthur Wood !, chairman of the
Presidents emergency committee on
employment, testified that more than
5000, 900 persons were without work.
Preliminary investigation by
CoStigan indicates that there has
been no reduction in unemployment
figures since that time and such in
formation as is available suggests
that the army of jobless has gained
unhappy recruits in the last year.
Beaten Last Winter
Mr.. Hoover'S congressional lines
held firmly last winter against a
variety of proposals for unemploy-
ment relief. Congress contented
itself with an appropriation for re-
lief of drought areas. The Red
Cross refused to accept administra-
tive responsibility for federal relief
funds and the policy Of the organ
ization is stated by Chairman John
Barton Payne, at that time, was
that unemployment relief was not
within the scope of Red Cross &C
tivities.
During the last year, congress
sional enthusiasm for direct federal
relief has increased. Some senators
believe majority of both houses
will support a compromise relief
measure based on the Costigan and
La Toilette bills and other proposals
contemplated.
But there is no general belief that
direct federal appropriation could
be passed over Mr.. Hoover's veto.
In view of his determined oppoSi-
ton to direct relief, it is assumed on
Capitol Hill that the President
would veto such appropriation.
Wants cI0s O0O mn fo- poI;of
Costigan's bill is more detailed
than La Follette's. The Coloradan
proposes appropriation of s125,OOO,-
900 for relief this winter and
through the year to July 1.
The additional $3.50, 100000 would
be available during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1888. Both bills
would create a federal board for I'M
employment relief. a
Of the Costigan appropriation, 40
per cent would be allocated to the
states in proportion to their popu-
lation. The remainder would con-
stitute reserve fund for emer-
gency allotments."
The children's bureau of the la
Dor department would be charged
with administration of the relief.
To become eligible for participa-
ton in the federal appropriation,
states would be required to set up
agencies to cooperate with the chill
81