The Bismarck tribune., 1934-10-11
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A Farmers Letter
It would be well for every serious
minded citizen to take look at the
indictment of the current relief sys-
TEN printed in the Peoples Forum
in this edition. It presents, in Wig
orous language, the views of many
citizens who have never received re-
lief but who have had opportunity to
watch the system in action.
It is not and should not be con-
sidered as an indictment Of the peo-
pie administering the government
set-up. The attack is directed pri-
marily at the set-up as such, regard
less Of the individuals involved.
There seems little doubt but that
the cost of relief would be reduced
If the work were placed in the hands
Of township groups, charged with
spending township tax money. The
latter qualification is the most i'm
portant Of the two. If relief were a
community matter it would have the
benefit Of specialized community
knowledge in its administration. Un-
der the present set-up it is a national
affair and too many persons regard
1t as a legitimate grab-bag from
which everything possible should be
obtained.
Advocates Of the present system
contend that. II county commissions
or other local boards were made re-
sponsible for poor relief administra-
tion, costs would mount by leaps and
bounds. This probably would be true,
for other peoples money is other
peoples money, no matter who spends
It.
But II 1t were the local taxpayers
money which was being spent, the
story would be entirely different. In
spending government money, public
officials find 1t easy to be generous
with it. II they are spending funds
derived from local taxation, they
must keep in mind that taxpayers, as
q group. comprise the vast majority
Of our people and WELD the balance
Of political power whenever they
choose to use it.
It would appear. then, that local
administration Of relief funds
might not be an improvement on the
present system unless the money were
raised locally.
It should be mentioned, too, that
the present set-up has not had a
really fair chance. Because of q
fundamentally unsound conception OF
the current situation. the Job has
been turned over to so-called trained
social workers. The latter are people
skilled In reconstructing individuals
and families which are unable to
Withstand the stresses of normal
times. In too many cases they are
attempting to apply methods deyel-
oped in such cases to families which
need no reconstruction but who do
need help.
Thus we have the spectacle Of So
cial workers. with no particular skill.
Offering sage advice to men and
women Of proved ability but who are,
Temporarily. adversely affected by
economic conditions. The fact that
many social workers were themselves
taken from the relief lists only en-
phasises the absurdity. The need, in
selecting relief workers, is for expe-
rience and understanding rather than
for formal training.
The handicap under which the re-
lief system operates Is illustrated,
also. by . review of the work done
and auzount spent in doing it. Far
from spending too much in admin
istration costs, as A Farmer suggests,
not enough Is spent for this purpose.
Brains and ability. even il highly
paid. are the cheapest things any
organization can buy. The relief ad-
ministration Is no exception.
We have county administrators,
some OF them handling $4,000 to
$4,000 . week. drawing an average
Of about 500 . month, some a little
more and some . little less. The won
der i that they work as hard as they
do for such returns. for 18-hour days
are not uncommon among people en-
gagged In this great movement.
On the ground that the greatest
good Of the. greatest number should
come first. the relief organization
might well drop its work to recon-
struct those who normally are below
pAr. concentrate its efforts on those
who normally are self-supporting and
whose need is due almost wholly to
causes beyond their control. It
would require > complete reversal of
social-servioe form but the results
might be worth while. It might be
hard On the habitually sub-normal but
we might Is well recognize that those
mast worth saving should be saved
flyyt.
Any impartial observer, and A
1ay0ee r hardly that sir,ea tI.ara a.