The Carbon County news., 1931-09-03
Washington Snapshots
Taken by the Helms News Service

October 19 to November 25 is
the period recommended for the
country's major campaign for
funds to relieve distress incident to
unemployment during the coming
winter. The date was chosen at
conference of national welfare
and relief agency executives with
Walter S. Clifford, director of the
Presidents new organization on
unemployment relief, and was
agreed upon largely for the reason
that the majority of fund colloc-
tions in past years have been held
at approximately that time of
year.
President Hoover has let it be-
come known that he does not in
tend to get into the controversy
between ship owners and the Farm
Board concerning the transpor-
tation to Brazil of wheat this
country has traded for coffee
with numerous shippers going di-
rect to the White House with their
protests against the Farm Boards
action in giving Brazil control of
shipping arrangements whereas
they feel the business should have
been tied up for the benefit Of
American carriers-the President
is said to be referring all CORES
pondence on the subject to the
board.
S y
Governor Pinchot's appeal to
President Hoover for a special
session of Congress to enact re-
lief brought sharp rebuke from
Senator David A. Reed, who said
the Governors of the States should
not evade their responsibilities in
this period of depression. The
Senator asserted Pennsylvania is
solvent, her credit is perfect"
and that she needs no subsidies
from the Federal Treasury to
care for her unemployed.
Last month President Hoover,
impressed by the seriousness of
the situation, addressed letter
to the heads of all executive de-
partments and bureaus ordering
that expenses be cut to the bone.
Another big deficit, he said would
necessitate a large increase in
taxes. 1t now seems that such an
increase can scarcely be avoided.
A huge bond issue such as is pro-
posed would mean, in the opinion
of Treasury experts, the imposition
of taxes to meet the interest char
ges approximating those of war
time.
President Hoover has thus an
alyzed the effect of increased tax
es: No matter how devised, an
increase of taxes in the end falls
upon the workers and farmers, de-
prives industry of that much abil-
ity to give employment and de-
feats the very purpose of schemes
of relief. For the Government to
finance by bond issues deprives
industry and agriculture of just
that much capital for it's own use
and for employment. Prosperity
cannot be restored by raids upon
the public treasury.
y u
Following his letter to President
Hoover urging special session
of Congress to legislate for direct
relief, Governor Pinchot has is
sued report showing widespread
unemployment and distress in
thirty Pennsylvania counties. But
it by no means proves the inabil-
lty of the people of this State to
care for their own. The effect
should be to stimulate cooperation
with the Presidents wise plan for
aiding the destitut eand not to
strengthen the agitation for shift
ing the burden to the Federal Gov
arnment.
The exchange Of Farm Board
wheat for coffee being held by the
Government will, per-
haps, prove the most satisfactory
solution of the problems yet de-
vised. The exchange and the ulti-
mate disposal of the two products
need disturb neither the wheat
market nor the coffee market. For
in neither case is the product
thrown upon the open market,
with a consequent depression of
prices.
The report of the International
bankers committee last week, sug-
gesting revision of reparations
and war debts, was assailed by
Senator Hiram Johnson (Republi-
,an), California, as move toward |
of war debts due the
United States In a public state
nent issued at his office here, the
Californian said that under exist
ng conditions consideration" of