Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-03
HOOVER ADAMANT
IN RELIEF ISSUE
President Holds His Desire
to Aid Humanity Is Strong
as Any CongreSSman'S.
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Continued From First Page.)
people, on one hand, will maintain the
spirit of charity and mutual self-help
through voluntary giving, and the re-
sponsibility of local Government. as
distinguished on the other hand from
appropriations out of the Federal Treas
ury for such purposes. My own con-
Viction is strongly that if we break down
this sense of responsibility of individual
generosity to individual and mutual
self-help in the country in times of ma
tional difficulty and if we start appro-
priations of this character, we have not
only impaired something infinitely val
liable in the life of the American people,
but have struck at the very roots of
self-government.
Face Future Problems.
"Once this has happened, it is not
the cost of a few score millions, but we
are faced with the abyss of reliance in
future upon Government charity in
some form or other. The money in
volved is indeed the cost of American
ideals and American institutions.
president Cleveland in 1887, con-
fronted with similar issue, stated, in
part:
IA prevalent tendency to disregard
the limited mission of this power and
duty should, think, be steadfastly re-
sisted to the end that the lesson should
be constantly enforced and that,
though the people support the Govern
ment, the Government should not sup
port the people.
1.-The fri:ndliness and charity of our
countrymen can always be relied upon
to relieve their fellow citizens in mis-
T,f- 11ng Ece1 =
qutta lately demonstrated. Federal aid
IN such cases encourages the expectation
OF paternal care on the part of the
Government and weakenS the SturdineSS
OF our national character, whils it pre-
vents the indulgence among our people
of that kindly sentiment and conduct
which strengthens the bonds of a COM
mon brotherhood
Aid Exceeds Appropriations.
And there is practical problem in
all this. The help being daily extended
by neighbors, by local and national
agencies, by municipalities, by industry
and a great multitude of organizations
throughout the country today is many
times any appropriation yet proposed.
The opening of the doors of the Federal
Treasury is likely to Stifle this giving
and thus destroy far more resources
than the proposed charity of the Fed
eral Government.
1.-THE basis of successful relief in ma
tional distress is to mobilize and organ
ize the infinite number of agencies of
self-help in the community That has
been the American way of relieving dis
treSS among our own people and the
country is successfully meeting its
problems in the American way today.
Two Separate Problems.
1--WE have two entirely separate and
distinct situations in the country: The
first is the drought area; the second IS
the unemployment in our industrial
centers-for both of which these ap-
preparations attempt to make charitable
contributions
Immediately upon the appearance OF
the drought last August I called meet
ing of the Governors, the Red Cross and
the railways, the bankers and other
agencies in the country. and laid the
foundations of organization and the re-
sources to stimulate every degree OF
self-help to meet the situation which
it was then obvious would develop. The
result of this action was to attack the
drought problem in a number of direc-
tons. The Red Cross established COM
mittees in every drought county. COM
priSing the leading citizens OF those
counties, with instructions TO them
that they were to prevent Starvation
among their neighbors, and If the PROB
lenr went beyond local resources the
Red Cross would support them.
No One Going Hungry.
1.-THE organization has been stretched
throughout the area OF suffering. Inc
people are being cared for today
through the hands and with sympa-
thetic understanding and upon the
responsibility of their neighbors, VINO
are being supported, in turn, by the tne
spirit of mutual assistance OF the merit
of the American people. The Red Cross
officials, whose long, devoted service
and experience is unchallenged, m
formed me this morning that, except Tor
minor incidents of any emergency
organization, no one is going hungry
and no one need go hungry or cold.
ITO reinforce this work at the open
ing of Congress, I recommended large
appropriations for loans to rehabllltate
agriculture from the drought and pro
vision of further large sums Tor pupnc
works and construction in the drought
territory, which would give employment
in further relief to the whole situation
These Federal activities provide for an
expenditure of upwards Of $1OO,OOO,OOO
In this area and 1t is in progress To-Day.
1.-The Red Cross has always met the
situations which it has undertaken.
After careful survey and after actual
experience of several months with their
part of the problem they have an
nounced firmly that they can command
the resources with which to meet any
call for human relief in prevention
OF hunger and suffering in drought
areas and that they accept this re-
sponsibility. They have refused to ac-
cept Federal appropriations as not be-
ing consonant either with the need or
character of their organization. The
Governmental departments have and