The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-11-09
NEWSPAPERS OPINION
PRosTITUTIoNS OF RELIEF

Almost identically the same amount was spent
IN North Carolina during the past year for relet
Of the needy as was spent to operate every func-
tion of the state government, excepting the hlgn-
ways
And that amount was s23 100000.
This Is To saw that as much was spent for relief
a. ras required to operate The public schools, the
institutions of higher learning, the courts, and
every other public service, laying aside the admin
istration of the roads
That is the equivalent in money spent for relef
alone by the national government OF 81 Tor every
man, woman and child within the state
Let us be understood at the onset. Relief eX-
penditures are essential. There Is no escape IRON
them So long as conditions of restitution prevail
il is the business of society to see that those IN
extreme need are given the barest creature COM
forts We would have no better than plckpocHeU
civilization if they were to be left alone
II is a mark of modern mercy that America mas
the heart to maintain a government, itself sup
ported out of the hard-earned taxes of an OPP
pressed people, that will take reasonably good care
Of those exceptionally bereft of material goods
and not allow its hungry and ill-born babies to be
thrown out into the street for the dogs to eat as
+bav did in the age when the civilization of Greece
was at its glory.
And so long as unemployment exists in any such
massive denomination as at present, this Will con-
+;nue TO be the duty of either the American peo-
nile. independent of their government, or of the
American government independent of the assis-
lance of private charity, in cooperation with it.
If private aims are insufficient-which they are
under present conditions-there is no other re-
source to which to have recourse for this aleviat
ing ministry than the federal government which
gets the money out of the pockets of its subjects
Let US not fuss with the principle, with the de-
cency and with the integrity and morality OF this
administration. 1t is wise, expedient, defensible
and unavoidable.
But there is point beyond which expenditures
of the taxes of the people of this country for even
so merciful a ministration this should not be
allowed to go.
That point is reached when relief rolls are pad
ded, when administrative costs become too high
when it is evident that the government is being
imposed upon and when such outpourings of funds
become loosely and injudiciousy handled.
The Observer is quite in its own mind
without having at hand, of course, names, dates
and factual evidence to support the contention, that
too many people in North Carolina are on the re-
lief rolls, reaping the benefits of this adminstra-
ton when their situation is not one of extreme
restitution and need.
1t is outrageous, for example, that in state
like North Carolina in which last month more au-
tomobiles were bought than during any month IN
its history, should have from 100000 to 100000
of its people feeding out of charity spoon.
It Is unthinkable that in state like ours
blessed uncommonly with the plentitudes of food
products and commodities from its farms for the
market selling cotton at proftmaking price, dis
posing of its tobacco at figure that is returning
almost fabulous awards to its growers-it staggers
credulity to believe there 10000 farm families
in this commonwealth listed as worthy for gov
ornamental bounty.
The Observer would lament with perpetual re-
greet if a single needy man, woman child in our
state should fail to receive what they need for
their reasonable comfort, and this newspaper holds
relenessly to the conviction that it is the duty of
government, when every other resource runs dry,
to empty itself to the end that wretched destitu-
ton may not prevail.
But it believes, also, at the same time, that it is
travesty upon charity and a mockery of enlight
ened philanthropy to pour the treasures of the
public purse into the hands of those who are not
legitimatey qualified to receive such assistance,
who can provide themselves with at least suferable
creature comforts and who, in many cases, could
find job by means of which they could support
themselves.
1t is unfair to the citizens who must eventually
foot this bill and it is even more ruinous to the
quality of manhood among such benehciaries of
this mercy leading it by subtle paths into the
dreadful end of an imposed pauperization-Char-
lotte Observer.
EASY COME EASY GO
Farmers of Eastern North Carolina who are