Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-10
Where Is the Issue

" 4
AS President Hoover and Gov.
Roosevelt both addressed audiences
gathered in celebration Of the golden
anniversary of the founding in Dams
vile. n. Y, Of the first Red Cross
chapter. and as both speakers sought
in a way to combine with their eulogles
of Clara Barton and the American
Red Cross expressions of their view
noirts regarding the extension of aid
and charity to the unfortunate a
COMPARISON of those views at this time
is both interesting and significant.
Said the President:
In it's lifetime the Red Cross mas
raised and expended nearly a Dillon
of money in the relief OF human as
tress. The national organization mas
b4come our Nations assurance Oh
ADEQUATE prompt and efficient handllhg
of any catastrophe within our BORDERS;
It is the towering Of the spiritual
impulse to serve the common need. IL
represents both the common iIllp 0ias,,
of sympathetic help and the mechanism
for its practical expression
II stands rs a monument to ndl'lo-
nal and local initiative. II proves the
ability of a democracy to create from
tha people themselves the agencies LOT
their service.
Said Gov Roosevelt:
If the teachings of Florence Nightln-
yale on the fields of the Crlmea, II the
teachings of Clara Barton in the great
distress of earthquakes and floods were
right. it is equally true that these same
teachings. based on the outy OF tne
community and the state must Apply
with equal right to the distress ana
suffering which stalk in our midst on
this anniversary day.
To this high aim, following IN her
footsteps we Americans must oeNoIe
our every resource. To this nlgn ann
We dedicate ourselves as individual men
women and children. To this high ann
we DEDICATE our community lie III al
its manifold relationships
To this high aim we dedlcate our
functions of government, our towns, our
counties, our State and our country
These statements will be interpreted
as conflicting PHILOSOPHERS as to the
principles to be followed in the extern
sion of aid. and there doubtless VIII be
attempts to draw clear issue as pc
tween the viewpoints of the prooaoIe
Republican presidential nominee ana
the probable Democratic presidential
nominee in regard to the relief OF dis
tress.
But it is difficult in the extreme to
draw any such issue on the basis OF
the above-quoted remarks. The Red
Cross. as the President says, has become
the Nations tried machinery for the
- ,,,
catastrophe. While 1t is clubbing to
call widespread unemployment and all
that it means anything but "calaS-
trophe," it is not in the nature OF those
catastronhes with which the Red Cross
is fitted or is able to deal alone. 1t can
and will supplement the other agencies
now preparing for the task that hes
ahead this Winter. And what are these
other agencies? Gov. Roosevelt emu
merates them in part-"our functions
of government, our towns. our roun-
ties. our State and our country. Ihese'
under the direction of the President
and under the direction of far-slghted
and energetic Governors, such as FRANK
lin o. Roosevelt Of New York, are being
narshaled for a campaign that is unique
in the history of the country. In re-
spouse to the appeals of the President
under the guidance of men and women
whom he has chosen to coordinate on
a Nationwide scale the efforts OF such
communities as those upon whom Gov
Roosevelt relies to make his own relief
program success, the forces OF the
Nation are dealing with that distress
and suffering which stalk in our midst
on this anniversary day" and which
will become more acute with Winter.
one looks in vain for the issue be-
tween the President and Gov. Roose-
welt that would divide them on the
question of how best to administer to
distress and suffering. 1t will have to
be more clearly drawn. Until Gov
Roosevelt asks the Federal Government
to appropriate money for the provision
of food and clothing and shelter for
the people of New York, there will be
no such issue between them.
s-aRcE~-S