Evening star., 1933-04-25
Speakers Disagree on Effect
of Federal Help on Pri-
vate Charity.
CONSERVATION CORPS
HELD MORALE BUILDER
National Society Told That Vet
erans Will Soon Become Added
Responsibility.

OF Federal aid on private responsibility
in meeting unemployment relief needs
were heard today at the meeting Of
the American Red Cross.
From one source J. Prentice Murphy,
general secretary Of the Children's S
Bureau Of Philadelphia, the 1000 dele
gates heard warning that Federal
aid In the emergency, If wrongly ad-
ministered, would result In the break
down of private social work.
On the other hand. Rev. John
OGrady, director Of the Catholic
Charities OF Washington. contended
mo society can dispense with private
charity" and that increased Govern
ment responsibility for those who can
not secure the things necessary for a
proper standard of life through the
ordinary industrial process will not
mean a lessening Of private response
| bility."
Good for Morale Of Youth.
Both speakers agreed that the lead
ers Of the Red Cross must participate
fully with whatever Board of Welfare
strategy which is likely to come into ex-
iStence under a new Federal relief set
up. Agreeing with various speakers be-
fore the convention that the strength
ening Of morale is one Of the most i'm
portant factors in meeting relief needs,
J. Frank Persons, assistant director of
the Civilian Conservation Corps, de-
clared the employment of $50 900 men
at $50 q month in the reforestation
camps is negligible factor in reliev-
ing unemployment. but as factor in
improving the morale Of the unem-
ployed youth Of the nation it takes a
highly important part in the Federal
relief program.
Mr.. Murphy warned that public ad-
ministration of social work unless care
fully and wisely administered might
tend to break down labor and home
standards.
If We lay aside the habit Of giving
at this time" he added. lit will be diff
cult indeed to revive it."
No other welfare agency possessed
the highly specialized. and at the same
time extensive, practical experience and
information with veterans compensation
cases than the Red Cross, Mr.. Murphy
declared in referring to the administra-
ton economy cuts affecting World War
veterans. The care Of these veterans.
who would be another responsibility of
the public, he added, was a duty of the
Red Cross.
Responsibility Increases.
Father O'Grady asserted that the
Government will assume an increasingly
large share of responsibility for those
who have become the victims Of indus
trial hazards.
1T will continue to assume such re-
sponsibility even after the present crisis
has passed" he said.
Unemployment insurance and other
forms of legislative relief, he claimed,
must be assumed by the Government in
meeting the existing emergency.
In referring to reforestation work.
Assistant Director Persons declared its
object is to build men even more than
it is to improve the forests in the
public domain.
Other speakers discussing the gen.
eral theme, Meeting Relief Needs,
this morning were william M. Baxter.
jr.. manager of the Midwestern area
Of the Red Cross; William B. Rodgers.
State Emergency Relief Board. and
Fred G. Croxton, assistant to the di-
rectors of the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation.
Expect New Demands.
New responsibilities for relief measures.
caused by wholesale cuts in Govern
ment BENEFITS to war veterans, were
canvassed last night at general session
of the Red Cross.
Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines. admins
traitor Of veterans affairs, tcld the dele
gates that distress will unquestionably
ensue through the denial Of pensions
hitherto received, regardless of its form
or amount"
He said most of this would be in the
group of some 425, 900 World War vet
Grams who have been receiving disability
allowances for disease or injury not the
result Of service.
The continued need Of this group
must be met by organizations such as
yours" he told the Red Cross. 80 to
q lesser degree for other groups. Ger
tainly you will have avenues for in
creased service in many directions"
At the same meeting Louis johnson,
national commander Of the American
Legion, asserted the vast majority Of
the Legion stood by the administration
in the new economy program. He, too,
called upon the Red Cross for aid, say
ing:
In the next few months the need
for our (the Legion and the Red Cross)
assistance Is going to be greater than
ever before. Thousands of veterans are
likely to face suffering in its direst
form. That suffering must be reduced
to its utmost minimum, and to do that
will require every ounce of vigilance and
patience our organization can muster. :"
Defends American LEGION.
Comdr. johnson strongly defended
the Legion and declared that not more
than 10 per cent of its membership
ever was on the Governments pension
and disability rolls. 80, I believe I
may say with just pride, our service to
the veterans and the Nation has been
as unselfish as your own" he said.
He declared that the economy act had
wiped out "glaring abuses in the vet
erans' laws" but that executive orders
making 1t effective had substituted 9TH
er injustices. Nevertheless, he said:
I'VE shall continue to give the Presi-
dent every support in his war on de-
preston, even though 1t entails severe
sacrifice on our part"
Chairman Payne Of the Red Cross
yesterday notified Chairman Henry Nor
Renthau, jr., of the Federal Farm Board
that the Red Cross would be willing to
undertake distribution Of wheat as con-
templated in q resolution just offered
in the Senate by Senator Carl Hayden
Of Arizona.
Senator Hayden asked that the Re-
construction Finance. Corporation ap-
propriate up to $50,000,000 to the Fed
eral relief administrator for the pur-
chase of wheat to be distributed by the
Red Cross to the needy. The Red Cross
chairman had reported to the conven-
tion at its opening session that only
3,0so 900 bushels Of wheat previously
voted by Congress remained on hand