Askov American., 1933-05-04
BY EINAR HOIDALE


BY EINAR HOIDALE
BY the enormous vote of 331 to AZ,
the House passed the Emergency Re-
lief measure April 21. This bill ap-
propriates s500.000.000 to relieve hun
ger, nakedness and want now spread
over farms and in industrial centers
throughout the United States. One
half of the amount is given to states
on a basis of 81 for each 50 spent by
the state in caring for the destitute.
The other half is to be given for the
same purpose wherever the state is
unable to meet the demands made
upon it or prevented by the limita-
tions placed in its constitution. In
all cases the money so advanced is
not a loan and no state may be given
more than 1870 of the total.
In the face of the starvation known
to exist, Republican leaders in the
House opposed the bill vehemently on
the ground that the states and pri-
vate charities should take care of
their own INDECENT peoples and that
this plan to feed and care for 12,-
O00, 900 or more of our citizens was
nothing more than an adaptation of
the British dole" This exactly echoes
the attitude of President Hoover when
he vetoed the same bill which Sena-
tor Wagner of New York. had sue
ceeded in getting past the Republican
majority in the Senate. Those who
profess to be unable to tell the diff
ference between the Democratic and
Republican parties may get little
light on the subject by study of the
contrast in this one measure. The
Democrats have a heart. They have
compassion on the multitude.
MELONS Oppose Administration.
But if the move to alleviate the
suffering of more than 10 per cent
of our population aroused the Repub
licans to fury, the proposal, embodied
in the rider attached to the Farm Re-
lief bill in the Senate, drove them
to frenzy. That rider puts into the
hands of President Roosevelt the con-
stitutional power to ''cOin money, reg
ulate the value thereof" which had
been. in great part, delegated to the
great banking interests. BY that
rider he is empowered to do any or
all of three things: To issue money
on the governments promise to pay;
to issue currency against silver to
be bought by the government; to re-
valuate the gold ounce. That had
hardly been announced before Ogden
Mills, Andrew Mellon and the finan-
cial barons of the country appeared
on the scene to save, if they could,
not only the scaling down of the
wealth they have, but to prevent the
loss of the sceptre they hold over
the money of the country. No higher
tribute could be paid to the integrity
of the administration than the oppo-
sitiOn of such men. The difference
between the two major parties is
again revealed to those who care to
use their eyes.
What does week in Congress
mean? To give you an idea the fol-
lowing program for the week begin
ming April "a, furnished by Congress-
man A. H. Greenwood, Democratic
whip, may help: Monday, vote on
Muscle Shoals bill; Tuesday, consid
GRAFTON of the st. Lawrence Water
way, also the Home Loan bill, if the
committee reports; Wednesday, action
on the control of securities (Blue Sky
bilD; Thursday, the same; Friday,
appropriation for independent offices,
which may continue Saturday.-Near-
ly all part of the great program
which President Roosevelt offers as
the way out of our difficulties. There
is yet to come the 30-hour week bill;
the gasoline tax bill: the tariff rela-
tions bill; the public works bill and
the home mortgage relief bill. No
man who is at all conscientious in
the performance of his duty as Con-
gresham here can neglect the study
of these measures and if he does,
his time is fairly we'll occupied.
There is not chance to suffer from
ennui or be bored by sharing in this
great effort to restore the temple of
democracy in this land.