Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-17
Federal Food Relief.

Al Is LlOG Tie money involved Ii OcIl~
ator Robinson's proposed $4,000, 900
Federal food grant, but the principle
Of the thing. that will bring the fire.
works. But why fiddle around with
principles after lending $45,ooo,oo for
food for cows and horses and pigs when
human want and suffering are in
volved? Why seek to draw lines sepa-
rating the economic feasibility or con-
cept Of governmental responsibility as
shown in appropriating hundreds of
millions OF dollars to stabilize" farm
prices as against appropriating frac-
ton of that amount to feed hungry
families?
These are some Of the more obvious
comments that may be expected on
the issue raised in Senator Robinsoa's
proposal The Government has been
taking on so many relief roles that
it Il pretty ditficult to establish line
beyond which it cannot and must not
so. Some years ago proposal to fur
aish a dole in the form Of free food
for the hungry would have met with
an immediate and emphatic mol"
Today, by reason Of circumstance, the
proposal is open to controversy. upon
which sound argument can be heard on
both sides.
The question. however, is not whether
this particular $25,oo0ooo is needed, OF
whether the Government can afford 70
pay it. But once it embarks upon
policy Of feeding hungry citizens, where
is it going to stop? It cannot con-
sistently stop with supplying the neces-
stiles Of the farmers in the drought
stricken States. It must take into Con-
sideration the breadlines In New York.
1t cannot make crop failure alone a
Justification for receiving free food. It
must likewise consider job failure, and
industrial failure It cannot help the
farmer without helping the miner or
the factory worker Every Congressman
viii Immediately become concerned lest
the sufferers In his district have not
received as many bags Of potatoes as
the sufferers in somebody else's district.
And If Government aid in the form Of
charity has the same effect On private
charity as 1t has shown ca other nxaea
Of human activity, that effect viii b.
depressing. The citizen who has given
to charity ia the past win feel justified
ia referring applicants 10 the berAfcent
Government which proposes to relieve
him Of such responsibility.
In the hands Of the RED Cross $685.
l0oo, 600 for food would 60 q long way
and would be wisely spent But it is
interesting to risk a few ,conjectures
on the effectiveness of $25,00o, 900 in
buying food for those who need ft. II
has been estimated that careful
housewife can feed family Of four fol
one week on $3.50. Many are fed on
less But taking $3.50 as a standard
for a family for a week the SIS ,oo0,-
ooo--whicn . week ago was ai5,o0o,-
ooo-would supply 3,571.250 families
for seven days, or half that number
for a fortnight. And IL 10 idle tt
suggest that if the Government makes
money available for free food, three
million families viii not, eventually
ask for It.
The American Nation is responsible
for feeding and otherwise raiaistertne
to It's citizens in need. Every effort
should be made through proper chan
nels TO awaken the Nation 70 tnis re-
sponsibility. But its Government was
not designed for that purpoee It haa
been stretched to cover q multitude of
evils already, and there Il such a
thing as stretching it to a point where
Something snaus