The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-23
Relief Funds

The Presidents emergency committee for employ
ment apparently realizes now that whatever the
community chests and other organizations may do
in local campaigns, the suffering of the unemployed
this fall and winter will not be relieved adequately
without other funds,
We hope President Hoover actual head of the
committee, has come to the same realization
IF it develops" said Fred Croxton, acting chairman
of the Presidents committee, that with local re-
sources organized there less-favored localities
which will require outside aid, way must be found
10 relieve human distress in such communities, and
this no doubt will require assistance from for
tunate localities"
But how will these more fortunate localities give
this assistance?
How else than through the national pooling of
fundsP
What funds but federal funds?
Whatever interpretations were placed upon its ac-
ons the Presidents committee must be credited with
sincerity in proposing this effort to meet distress
locally. The campaign it proposed to community
chests has been accepted by them, and as soon as
surveys Of needs made many of these chests
possible will engage in concerted drives for funds.
At the outset, about week ago, the committees
proposal interpreted a national drive for
funds, and preliminary statements indicated it might
be a means of circumventng probable congressional
But this campaign is, of course, nothing of the
SORT nor does it appear that its success actually will
meet the unemployment relief problem.
It is not a national campaign, Croxton has said,
and the community chests have corroborated him.
1t Is simply coordination Of local efforts.
AS far as 1t goes, the campaign is good one, and
worthy of wide support. But the money raised in it
will not be used chiefly for helping the jobless it
will instead be used for the usual variety of work
that community chests do
Croxton, again speaking as head of the Presidents
committee, said
The committee realizes that whatever the
trend of business during the remainder of the year
the demand for relief will be unusually heavy next
fall and winter. 1t is evident that there has been
no emergency since the war which has demanded the
thoughtful help of pubc-spirited organizations
than that of the present unemployment situation and
the problems growing out of it,"
Neither the President any OF MS agencies
would have made this admission six months ago
Croxton is to be commended for his courage in thus
sizing up the problem and stressing its seriousness
So. there is the problem. Now: How to meet itP
Through private subscriptions? Yes Through ex-
penditure of money from local and state reasures9
Yes Through Red Cross cooperation in gathering
and distributing funds? Yes.
Through expenditure of federal money? OF course
OF course, because all those other agencies have
been bearing the burden for almost two years. The
Presidents committee realizes that individuals and
local and state governments will be particularly hard
pressed this year. Alone, they can not meet the
emergency
The President up to has placed his hope for
help of the jobess private initiative alone This is
an untenable position. With his emergency commit
tee for employment. with the Red Cross which he
heads. he should move on from that position.
Now is the time to start moving