The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-12-07
CHOW POOR ARE WEI"

"HOW POOR ARE WEI"
The above question is asked by The
Herald of Rock Hill, S. c., and the subject
is discussed in several paragraphs by that
newspaper and The Spartanburg Journal
.xRl special reference to conditions IN
LIN Carolina. The Herald says;
Commenting on the prodgality with which our
people spend for amusements, The SpartanourS
Journal used an editorial entitled: People Ge'
What They Want After reading the editorial
our people might come to the conclusion that pos
siblv South Carolina could be more self-support-
ipp in the realm of relief if it chose to do The
editorial follows:
"In spite of the heavy costs of administering
Federal relief throughout South Carolina, the peo-
pie can find the money to pay for the things they
want Witness Thanksgiving Days attendance on
the various football meets in South Carolina, from
universities to high school Columbia papers say
some eight thousand were in attendance on the
clash between Washington and Lee and the Uni
versity of South Carolina, while over at Clemson
the ruling estimate is that more than 10000 peO-
pie saw the Tigers win the state championship
from Furman's Purple Hurricane. In Spartanburg
saw Greenville Hi and Spartanburg Hi play to
thrilling tie.
MANY man who grew up in former genera
ton, prior to the appearance of the motor car,
attending any of these events, must have marveled
at the extraordinary number of automobiles parked
in and near the respective athletic fields They
were there in every type and model from the most
ancient to the latest. Their very appearance meant
that these drivers and owners spent more money
than merely purchasing tickets of admission 20
games. In the midst of clamor and increased de-
mand for relief, succor dole and aid one is con-
fronted with this paradox: tens of thousands Of
motor cars with owners and friends we'll groomed
and attred evidently operating on the assumption
that they can afford to pay the cost of pastime
that comes bit high, along with meeting the reg
ular calls of the butcher, the baker, and the
dlestick maker"
Present conditions in this country-that
is, the United States as whole-afford
striking anomaly in economics. The South
Carolina newspapers quoted above stress
of that State are ION relief while others
are spending thousands of dollars on
amuSerhentS and in many other WAYS in
dicating that they have money to spend in
volume that would have been considered
on prodigal scale even in this country a
few decades ago. Similar conditions are
found in every section of the United
States.
The facts in regard to this peculiar con-
dltiOn OF the country and its people APP
pear to be:
A considerable number of people who
were wealthy Cor thought they were)
lew years ago have become poor, and those
who are still rich are not as rich as they
once were; but many of the rich remain
rich and vast multitude is yet in very
comfortable financial circumstances. All
!. OF the people belonging to these classes
have money to purchase all their needs
and an astounding total sum of cash to
expeady for amusements, luxuries, and to
throw away in many foolish or harmful
.-Wayss~Net all of the people of these classes
are following this unwise course, but MANY
are doing so.
up in striking contrast to this
q eAnditfon and scattered throughout the
lc6IHtry are the jobless, those in dire pow
..erfy, and the various classes who are list
led ON relief rolls or are scraping along
with a. reduced supply of the necessities Of
life.
The Times-News does not believe the
number of the country's unemployed is az
: large, as is claimed by various estimators
= We think ten per cent. of the country
population is liberal estimate of the nun