Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-21
BREAD LINE HIT
BY RELIEF GROUPS
Suffering Should Be Kept
From Public View, Clifford
Is Told.

Objectionable features connected with
public bread lines and soup kitchens
and public contribution of food and
clothing generally were pointed out by
the Committee on Administration of
Relief, a unit of the Presidents organi-
cation on unemployment relief. in a
resolution submitted yesterday to Wal
ter S. Clifford national relief director.
The resolution suggests more construc-
tive methods for handling the relief
problem in cities.
we urge and endeavor to preserve
The independence and selt-reSpect OF
the unemployed through avoidance of
public bread lines, soup kitchens ana
public distribution of food and cloth
ing" the committee said. Where such
projects are conducted by commercial
or other organizations primarily or in
directly as means of self-advertising
they are particularly Objectionable and
should be condemned by public opinion.
Personal Work Stressed.
"Relief to families should, wherever
possible, be suited to their individual
needs and given in their homes I'm
should receive personal attention.
Where feeding stations or other types
of mass care becomes necessary the
facilities should be such as to insure
rs much privacy as possible.
The committee found AN effective
program of relief is dependent upon the
closest coordination of all public and
private agencies in a given locality"
With this in view, another resolution
pointed out that "a unified employment
system and a social service exchange,
Hualitled personnel in charge of admin
astration of relief and an approved &C
counting system will guarantee the best
EesultS to those in need and to the
community as whole, and will greatly
enhance the confidence of the COM
munity in its own relief program"
Cooperation Urged.
The present unemployment emer-
gancy, with its CONSEQUENT distress, in
20 many sections of the country CON
etltutes a major crisis that requires the
active participation of all public and
private organizations" according to the
committee.
In this connection the committee
paid responsibility for adequate Local
FUNDS for relief is primarily a Joint
obligation of local public authorities
and private agencies" and that "the
degree of responsibility of each Of the
tWo groups will vary in different locali-
ties and under different conditions"
State governments" the resolution
dSbIlCIPs
for the development of Statewide
plans and for the mobilization of suffi-
Gent resources within their jurisdic-
tion"
Declaring employment is the one anc
only comprehensive remedy for unem-
pIoyment, the committee added:
Relief Work Outlined.
Relief work, carefully planned anc
conStructively administered, can be usee
not only as a relief measure which pre-
serves individual self-reIiance but fol
the very material improvement anc
republication of our highways parks
public buildings and other community
assets"
While the Importance of providing
adequate relief is stressed Throughout
the resolutions. the committee declared
that the established services to the
sick and needy, to the children and the
young people, provision for the con.
Structed use Of increased leisure anc
the whole program of social welfare arr
more necessary under present condi.
lions than ever in the life of com.
munities.' 1t added that the main
tenance of morale, confidence, charac.
ter and physical well being depends or
the continuance Of such service"