Evening star., 1934-06-15
The Lazy and Shiftless
Under the New Deal
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor OF The Star:
Capt. John Smiths new deal for
the jamestown colonists was that
those who will not work shall not
eat" President Roosevelt's new deal
is that easy jobs shall be provided
for those who will work and Federal
relief funds for others out of work.
The lazy and shtftless colonists who
did not want to work did not like the
captains policy. The biblical iniunc-
ton about earning ones living under
the sweat Of the face did not appeal
to them. They preferred to sit in
the shade, provided they could get
supplies from the public storehouse.
Now We have millions who are Door
because they are lazy and shiftless.
They are rejoicing because the Presi-
dent proposes to create easy Jobs
under public and civil works pro-
grams or to provide relief from the
public treasury. The new housing
program. old-age insurance, and mini
mum wage laws are also pleasing to
these lazy and shiftless folk, for such
measures tend to make 1t easier for
them to live without exerting 50
much effort.
1t may be presumed that the CAP
tain at jamestown allowed those to
eat who were unable to work be-
cause of some misfortune. We know
that many Of them died of the swell
ing" and presumably the captain did
not make them work. as precedent to
their eating, while they were i'll.
President Roosevelt, however, does
not differentiate between those on the
one hand who are lazy and shiftless
and, therefore, poor through their
own fault, and those on the other
hand who have had some misfortune
and are, therefore. poor through no
fault OF their own. Slums must be
cleared and nice houses built, old-age
pensions must be assured, easy jobs
must be created, minimum wages must
be guaranteed, so that those who are
poor either because of their own fault
or because Of conditions beyond their
control, may have a high standard of
living with a minimum amount of
labor, which labor in no event should
exceed 80 hours per week.
The captain thought 1t was unfair
to permit the idle to consume what
the industrious produced. The Presi-
dent feels that those who have plenty
should share with those who have
nothing This sentiment appeals also
to the churches, for it sounds Christ
like. The lazy and shiftless must not
be forgotten; they have votes and
souls as well as others. The wealthy
must be made to pay for their up
keep. Income taxes must, therefore,
be increased. industry must be forced
to contribute to maintain old-age pen
sion funds, and eficient workers must
be made to accept less wages than
they really earn in order to guaran-
tee minimum wages to those who are
to be paid more than they really earn.
In pioneer days every person had
an opportunity to work. Nowadays
such opportunities are not always
available. Our Government should,
therefore, confne its efforts to Great
ing equal opportunities for all its
citizens. After these opportunities
have been created, we should allow
each person to shift for himself. The
industrious and thrifty should be al
lowed to retain what they earn. They
should not be deprived Of these earn
ings in the form of taxes to pay a
public debt incurred to support the
lazy and shiftless. F. WILSON.