The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-06-09
ROOSEVELT SENDS
CONGRESS MESSAGE
ON DR0UIH RELIEF
Says large.ScaIe Assistance
Needed to Help Folk in
Stricken Areas
OPPOSES RESTRICTIONS
Says Utmost FlsxibiIity Needed
In Dealing With Emer.
gency Conditions
OPPOSES RESTRICTIONS

Washington, June e.-(FePresi.
dent Roosevelt asked congress Satur.
day for $525 100000 to finance the
drouth relief program the admins
tration already has undertaken.
Large scale assistance by the fed
eral government Is necessary to pro-
tect people In the stricken regions
from suffering, to move feed to live
stock, and livestock to feed, and ia
acquire and process surplus cattle to
provide meat for relief distribution, y
he said In . message to congress.
Absolute freedom for the admins
tration to spend the money as it saw
fit was asked.
I'VE are dealing with q rapidly
changing problem and 1t is important
that the authorization should be
flexible 50 that funds can be allotted
to the several federal agencies as re-
CURED" the president said.
Expenditures Detailed
He detailed the proposed relief ex-
penditures as follows:
l. $l25,O00,000 for special work
program and human relief.
2. SIS, 0o0,o 900 for livestock purchase
In addition to the funds already avail
able under the jones' Connally act.
3. $l00.000,000 for shipping, proc
essing and relief distribution Of pur-
chased cattle.
4. $50,0O0.O00 for emergency acqui-
sition Of submarginal farms and as
ststance In relocating destitute farm
families.
6. $50.0oo,OO0 for work camps to az
ford employment in the drouth area
Tor young men, principally from cities
and towns.
7. $25,000,0OO for purchase Of seed
for 1885 paintings. and for loans to
get seed into farmers hands.
His message follows:
TO the Congress of the United
States:
Unforeseen drouth has visited dis
aster upon large part of our coun-
try. Prompt and vigorous action to
meet the emergency has been taken
by the federal government through
its various agencies, but the situation
has become more grave as rainfall
shortage has continued.
Damage Irreparable
Future rainfall cannot restore more
than small part of the damage to
crops and livestock. An especially
serious problem has developed be-
cause, while there is no prospect Of
shortage Of human food, q shortage
Of animal feed threatens over a wide
area. This IS causing losses to farm
ers and regions dependent upon the
livestock industries. Large scale as
sistance by the federal government is
necessary to protect people in the
stricken regions from suffering, to
move feed to livestock, and livestock to
feed, and to acquire and process sur
plus cattle to provide meat for relief
To finance operations Of the mag
nitude planned. further funds are
needed. After q conference with
members Of congress from the at
fected regions, . program along seven
lines has been devised to meet the sit.
uation.
These wholly tentative estimates
have been made upon the basis Of
present and probable conditions. 7 |
believe the present emergency can be
effectively met by the appropriation
d @S25. 10000. Only such portion, Of |
course, will Be used as becomes alb
solutely necessary. We are dealing |
With rapidly changing problem, and !
t Is important that the authorization |
should be flexibale 50 that funds can |
% allotted to the several federal
agencies Is required.
Franklin p. Roosevelt.
The White House,
June 8, 1894.