Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-07-23
BY NEWTON d. BAKER,
Chairman Of the 1888 Mobilization fol
Human Needs.


T ISTORY is being written with
such rapidity In Washington
tiers escapes us entirely. For
example, how many Of US realize that
the passing Of the Federal bill for re-
lief In the Summer Of 1882 marked the
first entrance Of the Federal Govern
ment into the field Of relief on Nation
wide scale? Individual communities
and sections Of the country had been
aided from time to time, but never had
the Federal Government considered 1t
its job to provide food and shelter for
the unemployed throughout the entire
country.
The passing of q Federal relief bill
ment of a unique and heretofore un-
precedented partnership. Forty-eight
States and the outlying possessions
which make up our Nation, together
with its 1888 municipalities and its
more than 122, 000, 900 John and Jane
Does, by this act became partners IN
one Of the largest humanitarian projects
ever launched. The purpose OF this new
partnership-to provide succor to tndi-
viduals in a great crisis-is as unique
as its formation. When President
lief bill in May of this year, making pos
sible the expenditure Of 100000. 900
for unemployment relief purposes, a Sec
ond chapter in the history OF this new
partnership was launched.
As private citizen, 1t Is important to
know that at present more than 90 per
cent of the total expenditure for relief
comes from public funds. At the be-
ginning Of 1882 public funds paid only
go per cent of this bill. The per cent
OF relief from public funds increased
/ per cent for each of the first four
months of this year. BY April. 1888.
the average city was meeting 81 per
cent of its relief bill from public funds.
In other words, relief work is becoming
more and more public project financed
mainly by the Federal Government or
by State or municipal taxes.
The experience gained by the Federal
Government from its first years
partnership finds capitalization IN the
1888 Federal relief act. This specifics
that the $500, 000. 900 set aside for re-
lief purposes shall be divided into two
funds of $250,000 900 each. From the
first fund of $250,000,00 each State
will be entitled to receive an amount
equal to one third of the total spent for
relief by the State and by civil sub
divisions from public funds in the pre-
ceding quarter. From the second fund
of $3.50 900 900 the relief administrator
may make grants whenever he finds
that the resources of the State are I'M
able Ito provide the necessities OF life
to persons in need as result OF the
present emergency"
Grants, Not Loans.
All sums to be given to States are to
be in the form of grants to be repaid
by the Federal Government itself and
not loans" as they were in the first
year of the partnership. The SEant-in-
aid or matching principle IN other
fields, like road building and education,
has been most effective In maintaining
State responsibility along with Federal
aid. Hence grant" instead Of fictitious
loan" denotes a change in policy from
a hypothetical to a real partnership.
Another notable change is that the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation Is
relieved from the responsibility OF dis
pensing relief funds by the Government,
and In its place a Federal Relief Ad-
ministrator especially appointed by the
President will serve. This administrator
may, under rules and regulations pre-
scribed by the President. assume con-