Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15

uVereQ over the NdGlOudl Etd01S
Forum was as follows:
Drought and unemployment those
twins of disaster, have for months
made allied attack upon our Nation;
welfare, each making more complete
the havoc wrought by the other. Ir
81 great States of the Union there was
in the crop season Of 1880 abnormal
lessening of rainfall, causing the mos
widespread crop failure from drought
ever known in our Nation. TO fully ap-
preciate the magnitude OF the drought
disaster, it Is well to realize that when
in any large area fields and gardens
are well night barren, the towns are
affected as we'll as the country, business
stagnates, employment disappears. The
whole financial and economic Struc-
ture, with destruction of resources,
freezing of assets and multitude OF
credit demands, becomes paralyzed.
The drought disaster seriously affecting
about half the States Of the Union, not
only wrought its havoc in those areas
directly involved, but contributed ma
terially to the economic depression OF
the Nation, intensified 1t and added to
the general unemployment problem.
Likewise the prevailing economic de-
preston of the United States, kin to
similar depressions In greater degree
throughout the industrial nations,
added to the distress in the drought
areas in great degree by adding low
crop prices to the greatly reduced
yields.
Various forms of legislative relief for
our economic structure and various
forms of financial aid for the needy
and the distressed, the sufferers from
drought or from unemployment, have
taken largely the attention of the Con-
gress at this session which began De-
cember /, and must close at noon,
March 4. I am happy to accept the in
vitation of The Washington Star to
speak tonight in this National Radio
Forum under Federal relief for those
suffering from the effects of the
drought or from Unemployment.
Clouds of Partisanship.
Politics. partisan or individual, often
does much to becloud the Judgment of
legislators and to confuse in the public
mind the picture of legislative S1tua-
ton. The controversy over relief meas
ures has seemed at times SO acute, SO
deep-rcoted in conflict Of irreconcilable
opposing views, as to endanger the
whole legislative program of this ses-
sion and through failure OF passage OF
appropriation bills to give promise OF
an otherwise needless and unwanted
special session of the new Congress.
The short session of Congress each sec
ond year is of necessity chiefly devoted
70 passage of the appropriation bills
carrying the money needed for the ad-
miniStration of the National Govern
ment. Two weeks from next WedneS-
day this session of Congress comes to
an end and at this moment only one
OF the nine regular appropriation bills
has become law. If a special session
is to be avoided the other regular bills
and one deficiency bill, nine bills carry
ing q total of about four billion dollars,
must be enacted into law in less than
Is legislative days. In the same few
days the calendars of the House and
Senate are congeSted with motley
multitude of other bills, general and
local, public and private, important and
trifiing, desirable and undesirable-all
crowding for legislative action and
many backed by the insistent efforts OF
determined supporters. Acute differ
ences of opinion as to the relief pro-
gram have brought about this alarming
legislative jam. But today the clouds
have been driven away and this evening
hopes are strong that action, swift and
effective, will follow the storm Of con-
troverSy and debate. The legislative
deadlock between the House and Sen
ate upon the Interior Department ap-
preparation bill has ended. The Senate
and House have approved the confer
drought relief and it has gene to the
President, who signed the bill late this
afternoon, making it law. 1t is to be
hoped that the jam being broken, early
enactment of the other important sup
ply bills will speedily follow, and that
other important legislation may also
receive consideration.
viii Present Facts.
It Is my desire in my remarks to-
night to present to you the facts with
reference to the Federal Governments
program of relief rather than to in
dulge in partisan or other controversy.
The wide scope of The emergency, the
acute and urgent need for relief, is un-
questioned and uncontested. Further,
the President and members Of the
House and Senate have regardless OF
party, regardless of residence, all de-
sired to relieve human suffering and
promote economic recovery. The con-
troversy which has so long occupied
the forefront Of legislative discussion
has had to do rather with the form
of relief and the agencies to administer
it.
It is quite possible that with all the
ghrieking headlines featuring day by
day the demand for things to be done
that have not been done, you may not
have realized how much has been done,
and is being done. to relieve human
distress and to promote economic re-
covery. Let me first talk briefly Of
these things that have been done.
In his annual message TO Congress
at the opening of the present session,
President Hoover gave his chief atten-
ton to these problems While en-
phasizing that "our country is today
stronger and richer in resources, in
equipment, in skill, than ever in its
history" he emphasized that co-opera-
ton Is necessary from all sources for
relief of present ills. He then laid
down the fundamental doctrines that
should govern such program Of relief.
Much has been done under that lead
erShip and in accordance with those
principles, the Federal Government not
assuming all the burden but ready to
do its part. When Congress met, many
large employers had agreed to main
tain wage standards and labor leaders
had agreed to set their influence against
strife, all branches of Government, ma
tional. State and local, had been en-
couraged to distribute employment so
as TO give work to the maximum num-
Der, needed programs OF employment
had been expedited and enlarged, and
emergency employment agencies IN
Nation, States and communities had
been set up.
Early Relief Proposals.
In that message the President then
urged upon Congress temporary eX-
pansion Of activities in aid Of unem-
ployment during this Winter; the elm
nation of red tape that unduly delays
the actual commencement of work on
public projects. He further urged tenn
porary advances of Federal highway aid
to the States. All of these recommended
tons in the annual message of the
President for relief Of unemployment