Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-14
Exaggerating the Need for Help.

6AhSSCIdtlh6 thC NOSu AVA ~AF'
The administration spokesman who
warn against an overemphasS or
exagseration Of the distress expected
during the coming Winter for the
relief OF which the Nations forces are
now being marshaled under the Presi-
dents select committee, have IN mind
of course, the psychological effect OF
constantly painting conditions in I'M
relieved black. The American Fedora
ton OF Labor, which has come out
with a new estimate Of seven million
unemployed this Winter and which has
not been backward in its predictions OF
hard times, points out, at the same
time, that much Of the boarding OF
money Is due to the fear OF loss OF
employment; that If this fear were In
some manner allayed by definite assur-
ance that the men now employed
would keep their jobs, helpful pro-
portion Of locked-up dollars would be
released to quicken the how OF
business
How large a part OF the depression
and the accompanying unemployment
is due to a state of mind must be
left TO scientific research into eco
non,ic causes and effects. Doubtless
the national state OF mind plays-'a
large part. Lack OF confidence is one
OF the very tangible stumbling blocks
in the way of normal recovery, and
lack of confidence simply means q
fear Of the unknown possibilities Of
tie future.
But at this time the Nation Is facea'
with a condition that, at its best, is
bad. Overemphasis or exaggeration
MAJ ~rry their evils with them. but
there are also evils in underemphasis
and a failure to drive home the fact
that something approaching q. crisis is
at hand and must be deaH With.
Everybody realizes, without encourage
ment from the pessimists, that the
coming Winter will produce q show
down on the ability OF the people to
care for suffering and distress without
committing the Federal Government
to a dangerous policy to end no one
knows where. And everybody realizes
that the political complexion OF the
next Congress, the political conditions
of campaign year, the widespread
Unemployment and the actual suffering
that follows in its wake merely tend
10 fertilize the soil on which the seed
fap AcfY nd Af rArta
will fall. The best weapon in the
hands Of those who must guide the
Nation through the crisis without re-
sort to hazardous experiments lies in
an ability to show that the emergency
IS being met.
The problem this Winter, as the ad-
miniStration spokesmen point out, is
the twofold problem OF Unemployment
and of actual distress. Much of the
countrys wealth and industrial lead
ership has been drafted by the Presi-
dent TO deal with both. 1t is comfort
ing TO hear from his representatives
that the steps already taken are ade-
quate; that there will be no widespread
suffering and want. But despite such
assurances, it remains that unless the
people are aroused and made to under
stand how serious is the problem with
which they must deal, they will dedi-
cate neither their time nor their money
to the cause And it remains that they
will not be aroused by q coldly analyti-
cal appraisal that, in so far as exag-
geraticn is concerned, is without fault.
They will only be aroused and they will
only respond to an appeal to their
reason and to their emotions. Such an
appeal Immediately loses its weight
when it is coupled with assertions that
things are not as bad as they are pic
tured, however true that may be. The
President may rest assured that those
who would embarrass him in prevent
ing the success of his well conceived
relief program will resort to plenty OF
cxaggeration.