Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-20
Talk and Action.


announcement of another national COM
mission to deal with unemployment and
kindred Ills a direct answer to Gov
Pinchot's demands for an extra session
of Congress, called for the same pur
pose. For the Presidents statement
followed by only few hours the pub
1ication of the Pinchot letter. Aside
from the accident of coincidence, the
two actions are unrelated. Yet they
define fairly well the positions of the
opposing camps that will fight it out
this Winter on the issue of how best to
relieve national distress.
The Pinchot letter comes from the
Governor Of a sovereign State, the sec
end largest in population and the fourth
richest-measured by Federal taxes
paid-in the Union The letter demands
a special session of Congress, to con-
pene Immediately in order to complete
relief legislation for aiding the States
before snow flies. The letter does not
go into the bothersome details of how
such relief should be extended, but the
implication is that money from the
Federal Treasury viii work the miracle.
BY confession of its Governor. Pennsyl-
varfia, which pays $3.50, 2o3, 064 a year
thing like s1S5. ss7, POT a year in oper-
alton and maintenance Of State inSti-
buttons, interest on State debt and cap
ital outlays on State projects, is unable
to raise from all sources more than an
estimated total Of s22, 00o, 900 to care for
suffering within its own borders. and
this amount, the Governor states. is
wholly inadequate. Unless funds, pre-
sumably, are forthcoming from the Fed
eraI Treasury, Pennsylvania is threat
sned with widespread suffering and the
possibility of serious disorder" in the
coming Winter.
No one doubts the seriousness Of con-
ditions as pictured by Gov. Pinehot
within his State. No one doubts the
consequences of failure to remedy them.
No one doubts that the Governor and
the taxpayers Of Pennsylvania are
hamstrJmg by constitutional limitations,
In the one case, and tax burdened, in
the other, and that the task Of over
euming such obstacles and preventing
ptsiable suffering, and worse, Is an APP
paIIing one. But one doubts seriously
Gov. Pinchot's wisdom in throwing up
his hands in despair and calling on the
Federal Government for rescue, and
his abject confession that Pennsylvania
is unable to meet its own particular
problem And one doubts his sincerity
in proposing, as the remedy, special
session Of Congress that VIII be more
interested In the political than IN tile
physical effect Of feeding voters.
The President, In naming Walter s.
Clifford as the head of a new national
commission TO deal with unemploy-
ment and suffering this Winter, is tax
ing another step in his program Of
perfecting organizations designed TO
unite the forces of the Nation In an
effort TO deal with the emergency. he
tells Mr.. Clifford, whose associations
and experience render his assistance
valuable, that "the whole force Of the
administration is at your disposal" and
his instructions convey the impression
that under Mr.. Clifford and his aSso-
eiates. later to be announced, viii fall
the task Of co-ordinating all the meas
IreS for relief that are now being
planned by National. State and local
agencies
The Governor compares the present
emergency 70 one of war, and goes
about preparing TO meet II by admit
ting he is licked. The President is
sure we shall compass the task, 70 and
prepares 10 act In accordance with
that belief
OF course, the emergency will be
Haet one way or another. The question
now is whether It VIII be met as Gov.
Pinchot would have 1t met, by each
State admitting its helplessness and
calling on Washington, or as the Presi-
dent would have it met, by careful
estimate OF what must be done and
co-ordinated effort between all the peo-
pie to go ahead and do it, The Federal
Government can and will take the lead
eTship. II Is not 10 be used as crutch.