Evening star., 1934-12-28
Administration Would Re-
turn UnempIoyabIes to
States and Towns.
INCREASED ACTIVITY
IN BUSINESS SOUGHT
Elimination of Cash Grants as
Far as Possible for Employ
able People Desired.

The Roosevelt administration, map
ping a new approach today TO the
Governments paramount problem,
planned thre changes of major import
in its unemployment relief policies.
l. BY February !, the Federal
Emergency Relief Administration
hopes to have returned all the ''un-
employables" on its rolls to the care
of the States. Administrator Harry L.
Hopkins said that, with their depend
ents, they number about 20 per cent
of those on Federal relief.
2 Hoping increased activity in
private business would diminish the
army of jobless, President Roosevelt
sought to work out an elastic budget
for relief which could be curtailed
with an increase in private employ
ment.
3. There were new indications
President Roosevelt desires to elimin-
ate direct cash grants, so far as that
is considered possible, for the employ
able people on Federal relief and sub
stitute work aid.
Direct Relief Task.
With the completion of the cam
paign announced by Hopkins. the task
of direct relief would become ex-
clusively the province of the States
and local communities. Hopkins, who
outlined the plan after conference
at the White House, indicated hope
that the saving to the Federal Govern
ment would be considerable. 1t prob
ably would not correspond, however,
with the cut in the number of Federal
relief because State expenditures for
the purpose would be considered in
determining what State contributions
to other phases of the relief problem
are adequate.
Hopkins disclosed that "unemploy-
ables" have for some time been gradu-
ally transferred back to the care Of the
States. He said that before the de-
preston, these people, who include the
aged, infirm and others unable to
work, were cared for locally.
Since then" he said, they have
increased and have got on to our re-
lief rolls. Regardless of any pickup
in employment, they will still have to
be cared for"
Some States already use their own
funds for their care. he said, and the
change there would be only a matter
of bookkeeping, while in others, he as
serted, it should lead to more ade-
quate relief for this class.
Cabinet Meeting Today.
Following yesterdays White House
conference in which Secretaries IckeS
and Morgenthau and Budget Director
Daniel Bell also took part, the entire
cabinet and other high officials were
expected to gather with the President
today to discuss the legislative pro-
gram.
The extent of the public works ap-
preparation to be sought has yet to
be announced Though Secretary
Ickes emphasized that this was some
thing for the President to announce" :"
he expressed favor again for low-cost
housing.
Il have always been for housing"
he said, because of its social value,
because of its effect on the durable
goods markets and because it puts to
work craftsmen who have been the
1Idl ucSL llll.
The subsistence homestead pro-
gram also should be extended. All
things considered, think we have
made a success there"
The Public Works Administration
has set before the President a sur
vey seeking to show Federal projects
totallng several billions of dollars
could be started quickly.
While these Government discussions
about the jobless were going on, the
American Federation of Labor an
nounced figures to show further in
creases in unemployment. Placing
the number out of work in industry
in November at 11,459,0 900, it said
this was an increase of 100000 over
October and 100000 over November
last year. The rise was laid to the
normal increase in population, which
yearly adds more than 400, 900 to the
army of jobseekers.
Jobs Are Lacking.
"Our industries" the federation said
have not created enough jobs in the
last IL months to put these boys and
girls to work, or, if they have found
jobs, it has been at the expense of
some older persons employed"
The federation found one bright
spot in its figures-a 2 per cent gain
in union employment in building. That
gain, it said, was the first since 1923.
The Relief Administration yesterday
disclosed partial aliotments for jan
uary totaling s136, 791 1858. as COM
pared with an aggregate of S151 ,o0o,-
900 disbursed so far in December.