Evening star., 1932-05-31
GARNER DELIVERS
RELIEF BILL PLEA
Speaker Takes Novel Role
as Witness to Urge Early
Passage.
Continued From First Pase)

1t takes two-thirds OF the member
ship to pass bill that way, and debate
Is limited TO 10 minutes, with amend
ments barred. Only a powerfully sun
ported bill can hope to succeed on that
course.
Claims People Starving.
Garner, who was a member OF the
Ways and Means Committee for IS
years, was ranking Democrat on it when
he assumed the speakership. He told
the Is Democrats and 10 Republicans
on the committee the question before
them was rs it the duty OF Congress to
take note of the condition Of the people
and pass legislation to give the starv.
ing and suffering relief"
Il think 1t safe to say that II b
known by almost all men that in the
state OF affairs in this country at pres
ent time men and women are suffering
for want of food" Garner said.
He read statement inserted into the
Congressional Record by Senator Jones,
Republican, of Washington, received
from an employment committee at Ia
coma, which said the unemployed here
are on the verge Of starvation"
1t urged the Senator TO drop all legis-
lation to sponsor measures for direct
relief.
Sees Widespread Problem
Garner said that such information
came from all sections OF the country
and from every congressional district.
He added that his district in South
Texas probably was as little economic
ally affected as any In the United
States. out that even in some parts of
1t there was concern over whether local
charity organizations could meet the
situation.
Garner said that in determining its
policy on his legislation providing $780,
O0O, 900 for direct relief. 1t was up to in
oiyldual members of the committee TO
say to the country whether the Federal
Government should give relief TO those
in distressed circumstances
1T is up to you to determine whether
this Congress shall decline to pass legis-
lation to meet the situation or whether,
under the Constitution, you feel the
Federal Government is unable to render
aid" Garner said.
Admitting the premises that there
are starving and suffering people, YOU
are somewhat foreclosed either 10 favor
the legislation or diSapprove it on con-
stitutional grounds"
At the outset of the hearing Garner
leaned ON the witness stand and ex-
planned why he took the unusual action
OF appearing before a committee, even
though Speaker. He said he had been
invited by the chairman to make an
explanation in support Of his program
Appears for People.
When witness appears before a
committee he usually states who he IS
representing" Garner said. 7 hope
represent the people Of the United
States. That is my purpose In appear
ing here"
Garner said his entire program was
not a quickly drawn up proposal and
claimed no authorship Of its various
sections except the one broadening the
base Of the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation to give 1t almost unlimited
authority in transacting its business.
He said the proposal for $I00, ,00o, 900
for direct relief had been made by Rep
resentative Huddleston, Democrat, of
Alabama; the public building program
had been suggested by Representative
Crisp. Democrat, of Georgia; the riv-
ers and harbors improvement section
had been sponsored by Senator Ship
stead, Farmer-Labor, Of Minnesota and
Chairman Mansfield of the House Riv-
ers and Harbors Committee; the Flood
Control Committee had unanimously re-
ported the project for the improvement
of the Mississippi River, and that the
entire House, through the Roads COM
mittee," had sponsored the provisions
calling for the improvement OF high
ways.
Attacks Bills Critics.
Garner described as "efronteYy"
criticisms of his relief bill, under which
he said the huge public building pro-
gram he suggests could be gotten un-
derway within 80 days.
In 1928, he testified. President Hoover
after the election authorized a state
ment 70 the effect that he believed 1t
good public policy and good statesman
ship for the Government to arrange .
s3,ec0, 100000 building program and
keep it in reserve for times Of stress"
Then Garner asked:
IF that was the belief of the Chief
Executive in 1923. when he was Presi-
dent-elect, I want to know how you OF
any others could have the effrontery
to question patriotism and charge pork
barrel tactics when people advocate the
same thing in 1892"
Garner said he does not want TO ap-
propriate or authorize a single dollar
that isn't based on good common sense"
II don't want to waste q single red
penny" he added. Il just ask that if
you find items in this bill worthy of
construction some time in the future,
you accelerate that work to help un-
employment now"
Lauds Reconstruction Work.
The major provisions of the bill are:
Increase in capital OF Reconstruction
Finance Corporation, from two to three
billions, public building and waterway
improvement. $l,209, ,0S4,S ,S37; fund for
direct relisf to distressed, $1oo, ,ooo, 900.
Discussing the provision that would
broaden the lending powers Of the Re-
construction Corporation, Garner said
that organization has rendered q von-
derful service to the country"
Its existence at the present time Is
keeping many banks open" he added
1T had been hoped. however, that Il
would bring additional employment for
labor, but an analysis of its loans the
last four months Is disappointing N
that respect. 1t has not brought addi-.
tional labor.
Wants Gap Closed.
Some have said the power this bill
would give the Reconstruction Board is
dangerous power. My reply to that
Is that II you can trust them to loan
as much as 100000, 900 to any of those
enumerated in the present act, you can
trust them to loan to others.
Il say let's close up this gap between
the tenant farmer to whom you would
lend money and the large corporations +"
A new administration blast against
the measure was issued yesterday by
Secretary Hurley. Having charge
through Army Engineers OF waterway
projects. Of which $S37, 900 worth
are included in the bill, the War Sec
retary termed the Garner proposal
"wasteful extravagance"
He maintained the items ON Garner S
list were beyond the Governments rea-
sonable capacity to handle, and in
cluded projects without legitimate re-
turns 70 the American people, who foot
the hill