The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1931-01-23
SEN. LAFOLLETTE
RESISTS "LET 'EM
STARVE" POLICY

Washington FTP Reading in
to the record in senate debate, De-
cember Is, a long series of tele-
graphic reports by central labor
councils to William Green, presi-
dent Of the American Federation
of Labor, showing that widespread
suffering from hunger, cold and
restitution affects millions of the
American working class men, wo-
men and children, Sen. LaFollette
challenged the let -em starve poll
cy of the Hoover administration.
LaFollette's resolution, declaring
that "Relief of human suffering
in this emergency should take pre-
cedence over consideration of the
interests of wealthy taxpayers, -
remained on the calendar.
Majority Leader Watson had op-
ened the discussion by defending
President Hoover's refusal to APP
prove the appropriation of $685.
100000 to feed and clothe the vic
TINS of the drought of this year.
He said the Red Cross had ample
funds and organization to, care for
these farmers. Caraway of Arkan-
sas read a list of drought-stricken
states, with reports showing 2O9,-
400 farm families, estimated to
comprise more than one million
people, in Is states, now destitute.
He quoted a letter from a reput-
able lawyer who asserted that the
Red Cross is doing nothing to al
leviate their suffering. In one
town in Arkansas, he added, the
school authorities estimated that
at least 200 families including
school children care on slow
starvation diet now"
Caraway asked Watson whether
he believed that in the face of
such crisis covering so many
states, "these people ought to be
relegated to charitable institutions
for relief"
eff charity is amply able to take
care of them," was Watson's an
swer.
"In other words" Caraway In
quired, "the Senator thinks that q
third of the people ought to be-
come mendicants, and 90 around
asking charity. although they ere.
ated every dollar of wealth that
there is in this country 2"
But my dear FRIEND" the Indi-
ana leader answered, "they would
be no more mendicants under such
conditions than if we handed them
doles out of the public treasury
This was the keynote of admin
istration policy as Caraway point.
ed out-that citizens who had ere.
ated all the wealth of the nation
were to be called "mendicants'
and receivers of "doles" when the
system failed to keep them al
profitable employment.
Watson grew alarmed when ask.
ed whether the lawyers created
the wealth. He said he would be-
willing to take money from the
public treasury to provide relief
'if l profoundly believed-and
am not convinced-that there i.
restitution, that there is SUFFERING
that people are dying from starva.
ton and cold, and that the loca
authorities with their combined eff
forts cannot prevent DEATH"
LaFollette reminded Watson Of
his and Hoover's airy assurance!
to the country last spring that un
employment was disappearing. H,
mentioned the failure of Hoover
and his agent, Col. Woods, to re
spond 10 the Senate's demand fol
a report on the unemployment sit
uation. He then offered his stacl
of kilograms, furnished him b,
Green, proving that immediat,
cash appropriations for feeding
sheltering and maintaining the un
employed, as well as the farmers
are needed by millions of Ameri
cans.
! Pittsburgh, Detroit, Reading