The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-10-14
ROOSEVELT CLAIMS
GOVERNMENT MUST
GIVE AID TO NEEDY
Declares It Public Duty in An.
sWer to Questions Re.
garding Relief
DISCUSSES PUBLIC WORKS
Says He Always Has Favored
Compulsory UnempIoy-
ment Insurance

Albany, N. Y, Oct. 14.-P)-Gover-
nor Roosevelt Friday had added to
his views on the obligations of feder-
al government, the declaration that
when communities and states are I'M
able to meet the unemployment re-
lief needs lit becomes the positive
duty of the federal government to
step in to help"
Answering Thursday night ques-
ton propounded by welfare workers,
do you favor substantial increase
in federal relief OUTLAWS during the
economic emergency" the Democratic
candidate for presidency said:
Il am very certain that the obi
CATION extends beyond the states and
to the federal government itself, If
and when it becomes apparent that
the states and communities are un-
able to take care of the necessary re-
lief work."
Comparing the action he sponsored
to provide unemployment relief in
New York with the record of PreSi-
dent Hoover's administration, Roose-
welt reiterated a passage in his mes
sage to the state legislature in 1881,
which read:
In broad terms, assert that mod
ern society acting through it's gov
eminent owes the definite obligation
to prevent the starvation or the dire
want of any of its fellow-men and
women who try to maintain them
selves but cannot. To these unfOr-
tunate citizens aid must be extended
by the government; not as a matter
OF charity but as a matter of social
duty"
Goes Step Further
Continuing, Roosevelt said:
THAT principle which I laid down
in 1881, I reaffirm. I not only re-
affirm it; I 60 a step further and say
that where the state itself is unable
successfully to fulfill this obligation
which lies upon it, it then becomes
the positive duty of the federal gov
eminent to step in to help"
Roosevelt asserted he thought it
flair to point out that a complete
program of unemployment relief was
on my recommendation actually un-
der way in New York over a year ago,
and that in Washington relief funds
in any large volume were not pro-
vided until this summer, and at that
they were pushed through at the de-
mand of congress rather than through
the leadership of the president"
Taking up another question which
asked if he favored substantially in
creased public works appropriations
to aid unemployment" Roosevelt said.
There are two ways of paying for
public works. One is by the sale of
bonds. In principle such bonds should
be issued only to pay for self-sustain-
ing projects or for structures which
will without question have a useful
life over period of years. The other
method of payment is from current
revenues, which in most cases means
added taxes. And we all know that
there Is very definite limit to the
increase of taxes above the present
limit.
II am confident that the federal
government working in cooperation
with states and cities can do much
to carry on increased public works
and along lines which are sound from
the economic and financial point of
view."
Favors Compulsory Insurance
A question regarding compulsory
unemployment insurance brought
from him:
This is no new policy for me. I
have advocated unemployment insur-
ance in my own state for some time,
and indeed last year six eastern gov
errors were my guests at conference
which resulted in the drawing up of
what might be called an ideal plan
of unemployment insurance"
Roosevelt said he favored continu-
ing the fine work" of the children's
bureau of the labor department.
Attempts have been made to cut
the appropriations for child welfare
work." he continued. 1T seems to
me this is the last place in which we
should seek to economic"
He declared he favored keeping chill
dren in school until they were l6.
In closing, Roosevelt made a plea
for charity.
n ~