Evening star., 1932-02-09

to that extent 1t will not result in direct
decrease In the number now being
cared for. At best, there will be many
MANY thousands who&ill requira dire
relief. and this Is the more apparent
when we remember tnat many "a mo
now receiving relief will be incapable
of performing efficiently the jobs to bt
provided on road work. And beside.
there must still be shortage Of jobs
for months to come.
The need of greatly increased sum.
to provide direct relief, and the danger
that such necessary amounts will no,
be secured through private or othel
local charity, or even State aid, ha.
been abundantly demonstrated.
We believe. we'll justified the conclu.
sion as to the extent of the emergency
reached by Senators La Toilette anc
Costigan and their committee, and sup.
ported by the testimony of man,
reputable and well informed witnesse:
both before the committee and BY
correspondence. While we would moi
wish to discourage or hamper any State
or local effort made to meet the de.
plorable conditions, we believe it /.
clearly shown to be unsafe to rest the
whole situation on the outcome of such
efforts. The service performed by Sen.
ators La Toilette and Costigan in as
sembling this important testimony anl
making the whole country conscious Of
the dangers Of the situations, is a notable
one which will not be forgotten.
1t is much to be regretted that the
able Senators whose splendid efforts
have focused the country's attention
upon this vital subject, which so wei
deserves attention. should have insisted
upon making available the necessary
relief in manner contrary to the bes
American principles. Though we dis
agree with the method they propose
we think they should be commended
for the diligence and ability with which
they have assembled the mass of evi.
dence which SO clearly shows tn,
seriousness Of our situation, and the,
also deserve full credit for complet,
sincerity in their belief that a new Fed
eral board, with the assistance of tn,
Children's Bureau, would be capable @
insructing and leading into bette
methods all OF the tried and experienced
State and local charitable welfare ad
mirnstrationS in the land.
Differs on Administration.
No doubt thesa distinguished Senator
will have considerable support anon,
sincere and well informed people TO
the view which they have expressed tina
our efforts to provide by a substitut,
bill for what We believe to be NOR
sound and acceptable principles repre-
sent nothing more than quibbling owe
technlcantleS. On cur side We canno
ADMIT That the differences are technical
10 us 1t seems vital that the principles
OF local responsibility for direct relic
and local authority in its administration
must be preserved.
There are Senators who sincerely de-
sire to make Federal funds available
for this extreme emergency who. never
thelesS, will not vote for the out-righ
gift provided In the La Follette-Costi
gan bill, believing as they do that i
extends practically no help to thu
needy. but only finances a relaxation
OF local effort to perform a local duty
There are also Senators who can neve
bring themselves to believe that a Fed
eral Board should be empowered, a
1t would be by the La Follette-CoSti
gan bill, to withhold relief from tn,
starving in some locality because sucl
a board might disapprove the name
In which local agencies might function
And there are many who believe 81
far in the sincerity of the President
reiterated statements in opposition t,
Federal gifts for direct relief as to thinl
1t is foregone conclusion that tn,
La Toilette CoStigan bill as presented
to the Senate must necessarily be We
toed. A presidential veto will make
campaign issue, but will not feed tn
starving. 1t is, Of course. true that tn
President has given no advance aSsur
ance of approval to the substitute nov
proposed. but he signed last Winter {
bill providing for Government loans t
farmers in drought stricken areas, ant
similar provision was carried in tn
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
act recently approved. 1t, therefore
seems clear that there is nothing IL
the principle of Government loans il
neceSsitous cases that would necessar
lily lead to a presidential veto
In conclusion, it is submitted tina
the substitute bill provides a generou
measure of relief through Federal fund
when such relief is absolutely necessary
and provides that under such circum
stances relief may be obtained with tn
The substitute bill. so far from tearinI
responsibility, further insists upon tha
IlllRlC " Vic uIlIiOot Pl
cable limit. 1t maintains also tn
sound principle of local freedom ant
authority in administration, and it
not inconsistent with official acts ant
public pronouncement of the President
1t will command sound Democrat
support, yet it is not partisan pro
posal We expect that it will be op
posed by all who are opposed to Fed
eral aid in any form, and it may b
defeated if these opponents are aide
by the immediate following of Senator
La Toilette and Costigan. 1t is to b
hoped however. that either these Sen
ators, who have done so much towar'
securing needed Federal aid. will sc
the futility of standing on what the
have themselves characterized as tech
nical differences: or else that we may
even without their help. get enough
votes to carry forward the work whicl
they have so we'll begun, and secur
the enactment of law that will max
available Federal funds to relieve dis
tress, if Federal funds should ever b
necessary for that purpose; but onl
if that necessity should be clearly es
tablished.