Montana labor news., 1933-04-06
TOM MOONEY DECLARES NEW TRIAL VICTORY
RELIEF. NOT RE- EMPLOYMENT,
MOVES ARE NOW IN CONGRESS


Senate moving toward adoption of the
labor-camp plan for unemployment
relief for 100000 boys and men to
be taken from the breadlines, and
with the Senate Banking and Cur
rency Committee reporting favor
ably, March %, the Costigan-LaFol-
lette- Wagner hunger relief bill, Con-
gress was hopeful of seeing both of
these measures enacted into law with
in a few days. At the same time it
was viewing with growing anxiety
the steady increase of demand for a
nationwide program of re-employ-
ment, which would give jobs and
wages to the 100000 to 15,O0O,0O0
now seeking work in vain.
Administration officials and Sen
ate and House Democrats knew, by
March %, that the country had re-
sumed its critical attitude. Unem-
ployment was not diminishing. 1t
was growing. president Roosevelt
and Budget Director Douglas an
nounced consolidation Of federal farm
credit organizations and plans for
further reductions in the federal serv-
ice which would abolish 5000 jobs at
once. The Saturday holiday in the
Department of Labor was cut to a
half-holiday, under the operation of
the new Economy Act. A general
wage slash of Is per cent for all fed
eral workers was forecast by the Bud
get Bureau for April l, despite the
showing by the Bureau Of Labor Sta
tistics that rents in the District of
Columbia had been reduced only 6
per cent since the depression start
ed. The Administration, under the
Economy Act, was to take $125, 000,-
900 from the purchasing power Of the
federal employees. This had been de-
cided upon, at the advice of the bank
ers in the crisis of the panic which
ushered in the new regime, as the
only means of balancing the federal
budget and thereby restoring conf
dence in federal finances. But the
wage cuts and dismissals implied a
better scheme of giving employment
and wages, not merely to these i'm
mediate victims but to millions Of
veterans of the jobless army.
What, then, would be the Roose-
welt bill for restoring general work
and wages? What measure would
stop the progress of deflation, which
continued through March in spite of
the Democratic ballyhoo which had
replaced Hoover ballyhoo?
Farm relief legislation was the
first offering. This had been attack
ed as a sales tax on town and city
people for the benefit of farmers, and
Senate hearings had quickly develop
ed the fact that doubt of the power OF
this plan to lift farmers out of pow
erty and thereby to start industries
back to prosperity was widespread.
Farm mortgage reduction was next
on the program. This appeared to
have more support in Congress, but
since it would not involve the imme-
diate expenditure of a great sum OF
money its effect upon industrial re-
vival this year was challenged by
many economists. Secretary Wal
lace's proposal that the government
provide funds for refinancing $780,
100000 of farm mortgages at a lower
rate Of interest was seen as a sure
road to a considerable expansion Of
the farmers buying power when once
the plan has been put in operation
the difficulty lay in the probable leis'
urely consideration of the plan in the
Senate, and the slow setting up of the
machinery by which farmers would
be freed Of their present burden Of
interest payments.
Organized labor, which attacked