The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1933-07-27
Editorial

hands in despair Friday when the lat
est and most drastic proposal made
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to
restore economic equilibrium was an
nounced. With expenses already TAX
ing the profits, how in the world can
we pay higher wages for less work,
they asked.
But after watching scores of bigger
firms jump into the harness, after
talking the matter over, reading the
regulations more carefully and hear
ing the Presidents message Monday
night, the second reaction is different.
Most CT US are admitting now that the
Roosevelt program has been fine so
far, that this addition is also worth
trying.
Public works programs are temp
orary means of putting men to work
but at best they are only stimulant
and the cost is too great to warrant
continuing such program at the ex-
pense of taxpayers indefinitely. We
are simply faced with situation
where there are far more men than
jobs and the only solution is to divide
the work.
It was idle for few employers, no
matter how large their operations
were, to attempt such a program.
Firms in the same line of business
who went on paying low wages for
long hours would simply drive them
out of business.
Consequently to achieve anything in
this line it is necessary for all to &C
cept the code recommended by the
government. With public sentiment
backing the movement as it has back
ed almost every effort of the "new
deal" president, it is highly probable
that the plan will be widely adopted
and that backsliders will find it ad
visable to get in line.
AS in every program of this kind,
it will not be the employer who foots
the bill. He cannot unless he is pro-
fteering at the present time. The ex-
ira cost of doing business will simply
be passed on to the consumer.
But this is nothing for the consum-
er to raise rumpus about. First
place the consumer is you and and
the next fellow, employers, employees
and independent workers such as
farmers and men who operate small
businesses single handed.
Right now-through taxes and do
nations-we consumers are paying
food, clothing and shelter costs for the
unemployed class as we'll. Mr.. Roose-
velt's plan is designed to give this
class employment, whereupon its
members will become independent
consumers like ourselves. When the
unemployed have jobs, they'll buy
more and all the persons whose wages
are increased will buy more-and we
employers will be wondering why
someone didn't insist on this system
long ago.
Redwood Falls appears to be hav-
en- for transient unemployed men re-
Gently since several nearby towns
have enforced anti-p a n a n d i ng
ed;cts. Almost every business place
in town has from two to ten such
customers" daily and many house
holders report requests for food and
money.
Although there are no doubt
worthy individuals in the crowd, more
than few are petty racketeers who
shy at a job and prey on sympathy.
Among the authentic stories being
told is one of woman with dog
who visited several homes, telling the
story that she was hitch hiking from
somewhere to Mankato and needed
money for food. Later she was seen
downtown in a Packard sport road
ster with Nebraska license.
A man recently appeared at the
bank with pocketful of nickels,
dimes and quarters and exchanged
them for seven dollar bills. Later
he was seen by bank employees with
pack on his back. Apparently he
found begging profitable.
One strapping fellow claiming to
be a printer called at The Gazette
office recently and was told where he
could find chance to earn meal. He
declared he wasn't in shape to tackle
any hard work.
L. R. Ewart met one hungry look
ing fellow on the street recently,
bought him breakfast. Soon after the
bank opened the same fellow dropped
in, failed to recognize Mr.. Ewart and
asked him for another breakfast. He
didn't get it.
At one home in the city fellow
asked for breakfast recently and was