The Washington times., 1934-10-19

ACPV SS
absolutely separate from recovery
and reform. It is a matter of ele.
mental necessity that society
should help those who can't help
themselves. This comes first.
No stigma attaches to the
needy unemployed who let re-
lief. They can't help it, and we
recognize that it is good for all
that they be maintained tempo
rarily against the time when
their services will be needed for
productive purposes.
So regarded, there should be
nothing "demoralizing" about re-
lief.
But when we mix relief up with
business, we make great mis-
take. We can't fool ourselves or
the unemployed by making them
do foolish and wasteful things,
without any purpose other than
to give them money.
Really productive work IS neces-
Sary to make the worker feel that
what he is doing is worth while,
but much of the CWA and PWA
stuff is not of that sort. 1T is
doubly demoralizing to mix busi'
ness up with relief, for in our
hearts we know that we are trying
to fool ourselves and doing waste
full things.
We should give relief directly
and without hypocrisy. Then Cd
W. would not give it to any who
do not absolutely need it. 90 We
would give only the necessary
minimum to each Of these. 90
We would not hurt business in the
many ways in which our so-called
relief projects now do.
On the other hand, we err in
mixing Stimulation" and ere
FORMS" Most of the reforms"
are doubtful, and destroy conf
dence. Thus they keep stimu-
lants from working. The New
Dealers are just beginning to
realize this.
Another great mistake is to con-
slider employment as an end or
goal. Most men do not work
for works sake. People are en-
ployed to produce things which
crafty human desires. Work is for
the sake Of products.
In short, what we really want
is conditions which allow produc-
ton and earned incomes. Then
employment will take care of
itself.
Therefore, policies merely de-
signed to make work" are always
bad. What we want is products
of value.
But we can't make products
without being able to sell prod
ucts.. We depend upon exchange.
1t follows that everything we do
to hinder buying and selling,
serves to prevent production and
employment.
This is where unstable money,
urs sound credit, and price-fixing
OF other restrictions on trade,
come into the picture. For ex-
ample. low prices enable producers
to sell more products, and also
enable laborers to accept lower
money wages. Then production
and employment both increase.
Finally, we mix government
spending" with business" We
make the mistake of thinking
that the government can make
business.
But the government is just
Gus" 1t has nothing that it does
not take away from its business
Governments do not count the
cost of what they do, partly be-
cause they finance" themselves
by taxes. and partly because they
are just groups Of politicians. So
they do unbusinesslike things.
In fact, government operations
and spending actually prevent real
business. This is true because Cd
they increase taxes, CD they in.
crease debts and strain credit, CD
they unsettle the value of money,
a. they give people incomes for
not producing and 60 they de-
Stroy individual initiative.
Putting government in business,
destroys business.
Tnv,onrrnu-0 Thn NOV o11f