Evening star., 1935-04-04

OF course, those in charge have all
kinds of explanations. You may take
your choice. The best one is that
the unemployed finally have depleted
their personal savings and belatedly
are seeking Government help. The
relief officials can almost prove this
by a survey indicating that the new
arrivals on relief rolls come from
white collar classes CLERKS, teachers,
professional people,.
Part Time Given Some.
Another excuse is that some unem-
ployed have been given part-time
work but still must remain on relief.
Then there is the one about the
large number of old folks and unem-
ployables who are on relief. but are
not listed among the unemployed.
ployment figures are not exact.
(ThoSe used here are by the A. F. Of
L. and are as good as any,
1t is admitted unoEcially that
there is considerable grating on
relief. Euen the relief directors con-
cede there are many persons get
ting relief who do not need it or
uho haze jobs. There is an un-
spoken suspicion here that perhaps
this is as good an explanation as
any OF those OFFICIALLY given.
If you can get a Congressman to
talk frankly, he will admit this is
the slowest and dullest session Of
Congress within the memory Of Cap
itol antiquarians.
Both Houses have been in session
exactly three months and are just
completing the first major item Of
legislation, the relief bill. Further
more, most Of the other important
legislation IN. r.. A., holding COM
pany, banks, railroads. is not any
where near ready for floor considera-
ton and probably will not be for
some time.
There is more behind this delay
than lazineSs. The real reason is that
congressional resistance to the Roose-
welt program has taken this new
form. While there is no general tend
ency to thwart the Presidents pro-
gram openly there is a rather wide
spread inclination not to hurry. This
was obvious backstage on the relief
bill. You may recall that the White
House originally insisted it must have
the bill by February 10. 1t is now get
ting the bill in desired shape, two
months late.
This is a tip on what to erpect
from Congress regarding the re-
moinder OF the program. President
Roosevelt can get phat he wants
generally, but he will haze to Dork
long and hard on each item.
The White House is now privately
insisting that it will keep Congress in
session until the whole program Is
cleaned up. The idea is to get it out
Of the way so everything will be quiet
for the presidential campaign next
year.
1t is a good idea, but it will not
work out. Already the leaders are dis
cussing what will be scrapped. There
will be more discussion along this line
when Mr.. Roosevelt returns.
Government Ownership.
SOIlScTNdtlNc IdllI Udo LlCIl IlCL q dIC
talking now about Government owner
ship as if it were an established pros
pect three to five years.. The only
question they now discuss is how
much the Government will pay, If
anything.
This talk partially reflects the de-
spondency Of the highest rail oficials
regarding their earnings prospects.
But most Of it is due to the inside
rumor that Rail Co-ordinator East
man is more or less privately encour-
aging the Government ownership cam
paign being planned by Chairman
Wheeler Of the Senate Interstate Com
merce Committee.
Wheeler is going to delay his In
quiry into rail finances until August,
when news will be dull. Obviously
this Is to arouse public interest in
his Government ownership bill.