Milford chronicle., 1934-01-26
HASTINGS NOT In FULL
ACCORD WITH CWA PLAN
rContinned from First Paael

that organization the respOnS1bl
ties, the government would be in
very much better position" he wro
Senator Hastings letter follows
My dear Governor Buck: l am
in receipt of your. telegram of
the 18th inst, stating that some
of the leading citizens of Della
ware believe that the CWA pro-
gram should be continued dur
ing the winter months and that if
| concurred in this opinion, you
ask favorable consideration of
any legislation coming before
Congress providing the neces-
sary appropriations.
AS you know, this situation is
entirely in the hands of the
Administration and if the Presi-
dent makes a recommendation
with respect 10 it. il will un-
doubtedly be approved by the
Congress. Of course. the fact
that it can be done and will be
done with or without my vote
does not relieve me of my re-
sponsibility.
| agree with the general
proposition that in this land of
plenty, people must not be al
lowed to go hungry. | appreciate
also that there has been great
strain in the last two or three
years on the charitable people,
who have contributed so liberal
ly, and that that strain ultimate
iy reached the municipalities and
the states. In these circum-
$ noes, think it is the duty OF
the federal Government to act.
do not agree with the CWA
program. but the chances are
that no program could have been
outlined that could even ap-
prOach perfection. very much
fear, however, we have begun
program which we cannot finish.
The whole plan is the result
OF an Executive Order, hastily
conceived, and executed with
reckless disregard of the future.
The problem of the unemployed
has not been solved and the cost
in olved in the CWA program is
so stupendous that it ought not
to have been attempted without
direct Congregational action.
The Federal Government ought
not to undertake to control the
spending OF even its own money
which ii may be necessary for it
to contribute for relief in the va
rious communities of the nation.
The moment the Federal Govern
ment began to take the whole
responsibility. ii relieved the
public charities, the municipali-
ties and the states of the greater
part OF their responsibility.
Il is natural for persons who
have been voluntarily contribut-
ing to this cause to withhold
that contribution TO meet the
rapidly increasing taxes that will
have to be paid to the Federal
Government. The municipalities
iand-'tf1eH states lrfVe their own -
difficulties TO meet and il is but
natural for them TO turn to the
one source, that is left open To
them.
My own judgment is that if
every state was permitted to ere
ate its own organization, and
place upon that organization the
the Government
would be in q very much better
position to avoid some of the re-
sponsibility which il assumes
when it undertakes to make all
1f the organizations its own and
to direct them from
II seems to me that it is per-
ectly foolish to pay hundreds of
Millions of dCllars to the farm
rs, to induce them 10 reduce
heir acreage of wheat, corn and
often. and to destroy u certain
OF their Pigs. and
hen pay out many ether hun
lreds Of millions of dollars to
men who are unemployed so that
hey may be in a position to buy
he products of the farmer. 1t
lways seemed to me that il
would he very much more
economical. as we'll as more
.elpful, for the government TO
this surplus and turn
| over to state organizations,
nd leave TO the states, munich
alities and the charitable or
the job of furnishing
h. necessary money to supply
he other things needed.
appreciate that this is no
emedy for the serious unem-
luyment situation. realize
nat men and. women want work
nd do not want 10 be Subjects
charity, but, in my judgment,
le CWA has not even approach
/ this problem, but on the con-
'ary has fastened upon us a
stem which cannot be contin-
ed indefinitely, and the reasons
II disseminating it will be diff
;ult to explain to many.
| realize that what l have said
this lengthy letter is not di-
ict reply to your inquiry.
mot give you a definite answer
Nv. want you to know that
realize your situation and
eatly sympathize with the
'o5lems confronting us in Del
ware.
| am so much in accord with
e statement that the people of
is country must not be per-
tied to go hungry. that ] would
willing to go 4 long way in
any measure that
,uld bring relief. / think for
is reason that l should feel
mpelied to vote for an ad-
nistratiOn measure that had