Evening star., 1934-06-09
ROOSEVELT ASKS
FULLEST FREEDOM
IN DROUGHT RELIEF
Message Seeking Half Bill
lion Is Submitted to
Congress.
LARGE-SCALE AID SEEN
NECESSARY IN WEST
Present Wheat Crop Will Be the
Smallest in Al Years, Re-
port Shows.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt asked Congress
today for s525, 100000 to finance the
drought-relief program the admins
tration already has undertaken.
"Large-scale assistance by the Fed
eral Government Is necessary to pro-
tect people in the stricken regions
from suffering, to move feed to live
stock, and live stock to feed, and to
acquire and process surplus cattle to
provide meat for relief distribution"
he said in a message to Congress.
Absolute freedom for the admins
tration to spend the money as 1t saw
fit was asked.
I'VE are dealing with a rapidly
changing problem and it is important
that the authorization should be flex-
ible so that funds can be allotted to
the several Federal agencies as re-
ouired," the President said.
Text Of Message.
His message follows:
To the Congress of the United
States:
Unforeseen drought has visited dis
aster upon a large part Of our coun-
try. Prompt and vigorous action to
meet the emergency has been taken
by the Federal Government through
it's various agencies. But the situa-
ton has become more grave as rain
fall shortage has continued. Future
rainfall cannot restore more than q
small part Of the damage to crops and
live stock. An especially serious prob
lem has developed because. while there
Is no prospect Of shortage of human
food, q shortage of animal feed threat
ems over a wide area. This Is caus-
ing losses to farmers and regions de-
pendent upon the live-sock industries.
Large scale assistance by the Federal
Government Is necessary to protect
people in the stricken regions from
suffering, to move feed to live stock.
and live stock to feed, and to acquire
and process surplus cattle to provide
meat for relief distribution.
Organizations already exist IN the
Department of Agriculture. the Fed
eral Emergency Relief Administration
and the Farm Credit Administration
to carry on the emergency program.
Further Funds Needed.
To finance operations of the mag
nitude planned, further funds are
needed. After q conference with
members of Congress from the affect
ed regions, q program along seven
lines has been devised to meet the
situation. These proposals and the
funds required as estimated at this
time are:
/. SIPS, 900. 900 for special work
program and human relief.
2 $75,000,O00 for live stock pur-
chase in addition to the funds already
available under the Jones-Connally
act.
3. 100000. 900 for shipping. pro-
cessing and relief distribution of pur-
chased cattle.
4. 100000, 900 for loans to farmers
to finance emergency feed purchases
and shipments.
S. $50, 900 900 for emergency ac-
QUESTION of submarginal farms and
assistance in relocating destitute
farm families.
6. $5O,000,000 for work camps to
afford employment in the drought
area for young men principally from
cities and towns.
7. Twenty-Five million dollars for
purchase Of seed for 1885 paintings
and for loans to get seeds into farm
ers' hands.
These wholly tentative estimates
have been made upon the basis of
present and probable conditions.
believe the present emergency can be
effectively met by the appropriation of
s525, 100000 Only such portion, of
course, will be used as becomes abso-
lutely necessary. We are dealing with
rapidly changing problem, and it is
important that the authorization
should be flexible so that funds can
be allotted to the several Federal
agencies as required.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
To the picture of widespread DESC
lation Government experts yesterday
added forecast of the smallest wheat
crop since 1893. Nineteen States suf-
fered the worst Spring blight in his
tory. Any skepticism about the seri-
business Of the drought yielded to a
crop report showing June / condi-
tions. It disclosed:
Total wheat production estimated
at not more than 10000. 900 bushels,
lowest since 1893.
Winter Grain on.
Winter wheat reduced 81 ,000, 900
bushels during May.
Spring wheat estimated literally at
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