Evening star., 1933-12-09
WELFARE PROGRAM
COSTING BILLIONS
URGED AT PARLEY
Federal 0Id-Age Insurance,
Aid to Mothers, General
u Relief Advocated. III
SPEAKERS ASK SCHOOL
BUDGET OF $500, 900, 900
Hospital Service, Care of Physical
and Mental Detectives
Included.

A comprehensive program for social
reconstruction and increase of employ
ment In the United States was outlined
today by nationally known speakers
before the conference on essential un-
employment legislation, meeting here at
the Continental Hotel.
Discussing various needs of the coun-
try, the speakers proposed creation of
a. national department of public well
fare. Federal subvention Of education,
a $500,000,000 Federal appropriation
for scholarships for children, a $1,000
100000 Federal grant for relief and
other major legislation for the improve
ment of conditions.
Under Craftsmanship of Prof. John
Dewey the convention opened this
morning at 10 o'clock. Addresses at
luncheon session beginning at 1890
were scheduled to be broadcast between
80 and 2:30 pm. The conference will
continue through this afternoon and
evening.
To Employ Surplus.
Advocating establishment of q De-
partment of Public Welfare to assure
employment of the entire labor surplus
on governmental projects, DR.. Harry L.
Lurie. director of the Bureau of Jewish
Social Research, told the delegates this
morning "a program Of national assist
ance as a basis for State and local pro-
grams OF public welfare is necessary"
The public welfare agency also should
offer subsidies for relief programs for
mothers, aid the aged and disabled
workers of the Nation and assist in the
care Of dependent children. DR.. Lurie
said. He listed likewise development o.
hospital services and care of physical
and mental detectives as functions in
which the Federal bureau would COM
plement the work of States and munic.-
palities.
Every billion dollars spent in con-
struction gives employment to 100000
building trades workers and 100000
men in cognate lines. occording to sta
tistics presented to the meeting by NJ
H. Hedges of the International Brother
hood Of Electrical Workers.
Trial Next Spring.
Public works as an avenue to recov-
cry has not been tried in the United
States" Mr.. Hedges said, pointing out
that Federal building costs in 1880 were
only 1921 1864, 900 and in 1882 S556, ,230,-
600. He predicted, however, that the
real trial OF public works would come
next Spring when the present building
program is expected to gain full mo-
mentum.
Other topics considered during the
morning were the Federal housing pro-
gram, outlined by Frederick L. Acker-
man, consultant in the housing division
of the P. w. A., and plans for a pro-
posed Government marketing corpora
ton, set forth by Benjamin c. Marsh.
secretary of the Peoples Lobby. The
latter r,roiact ,x,os,ld ov,onou,or Eodara1
corporation to buy farm products,
process them and sell them directly to
consumers, Mr.. Marsh said.
DR.. Sidney E. Goldstein, chairman
of the Executive Committee of the con-
ference; Prof. Dewey, Rev. r. A. Nc
Gowan, associate director of the Ma
tional Catholic Welfare Council; Rev.
James Myers of the Federal Council
of Churches: DR.. Colston E. warne Of
Amherst College, and DR.. Edward L.
Israel of Baltimore were scheduled to
deliver the radio speeches at the lunch
con meeting.
Speak in Evening.
On the afternoon program were listed
David Lesser, executive secretary of the
New York Workers Committee on Un-
employment, and Joel Seidman Of the
Peoples Unemployment League of
Maryland The evening speakers are
to be Charles w. Erwin of the Amalga-
mated Clothing Workers, DR.. John H.
Gray. former president Of the Ameri-
can Economic Association; Prof. Warne,
Leon Henderson of the Russell Sage
Foundation and Lawrence Dennis, au-
thor of rs Capitalism Doomed?"
A meeting of the Executive Committee
will be held at the Continental tomor-
the conference will propose at the next
session of Congress.