Evening star., 1933-10-05
The New Partnership in Relief.

The formal occasion for the Presi-
dents address in New York last night
was the dinner closing the four-day
annual meeting of the National Con-
ference of Catholic Charities. He
appropriately made it tie occasion for
a statement of the idealistic principles
which actuate the Federal Govern
ment's new and increasing activities in
the field Of human welfare, and while
addressing himself directly to the repre-
sentatives of the far-fung Catholic
charities, indirectly addressed himself
to all those who labor shoulder to
shoulder with these great organizations
in the alienation of suffering and
hardship.
With that intimate and direct appeal
which the President so ably presents
he reminded his audience that though
we have proceeded a portion of the
way, the longer, harder part still lies
ahead" and a redoubling of effort is
necessary to care for those dependent
upon relief ito prevent the disintegra-
ton of home life, and to stand by the
victims of the depression until it is
definitely past" While the Federal
Government has inaugurated new re-
lief projects on a vast scale hitherto
undreamed, "the Federal Government
over the whole job. Many times I have
insisted that every community and every
State must first do their share" In
this connection the fixing Of RESPONSE
bilities," the prevention of overlapping
and waste, and the coordination of
efforts" are problems in the mastery of
which I'VE are making enormous strides
with every passing day" But there are
vital reasons for the maintenance of
such activities as those represented in
the Catholic Charities and other groups,
and the first of these, the President
said,
is that as much as we strive for
the broad principles of social justice. the
actual application of those principles
Is of necessity an individual thing,
and individual families. No govern
mental organization In all history has
been able to keep the human touch to
the same extent as church and private
effort. Government can do many things
better than private associations or citi-
zenS. but in the last ANALYSIS success
in personal matters depends on the
personal contact between neighbor and
neighbor.
These are words to be remembered
this year by the citizens who are called
upon to support, through their private
contributions to charity in its many
forms the work of such agencies as
the Catholic Charities, the Community
Chest and the scores of other organ
tzations formed and maintained to
promote the welfare of those who suffer
who have suffered before the economic
depression began ana who will con-
tinue to suffer after.
The Federal Government has begun
the vast and complicated business of
direct relief by furnishing food, cloth
ing, fuel and money to victims of the
depression. Every day records the en-
largement of such activity, its extension
to new and specialized fields. Today
the news brings word that special aid
for school children is in prospect; that
an unestimated number Of millions of
dollars will be spent by the Federal
Government in providing school chill
dren alone with some Of the elemental
necessities of life.
All this will tend to relieve the pri-
vate and church charities of part of
their physical burden resulting from
an unprecedented economic condition.
But at the same time it serves to in
crease manifold that part of their bur-
den which consists in spiritual re-
habilitation. In this field the Federal
Government cannot compete 1t is not
equipped for the task, and all the
money in the world would not furnish
the equipment.