The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-10
AGAIN WE URGE-CONCENTRATE!

CUPPOSE you we're already in debt. And
~ suppose some one said to you: Here's
fine 100000 country estate you ought to own.
You borrow $4,000 more; III give you s45,OOO
and well buy the place for you. The only
condition being that you live in it and, of
course it being yours, pay for the upkeep."
You probably would answer: No Your gift
would cost me too much"
That's what the Rhode Island voters said
to the proposition that they bond their state
for 100000 additional in order to get a
100000 Federal gift and spend the whole sl5,-
100000 on new state-owned beaches, parkways,
parks and police barracks As much as Rhode
Islands jobless need the work that the pro-
gram would give. the voters decided: mo. 1t
would cost us too much money that we haven't
got"
And as they cast their negative ballots,
Rhode Islanders probably also reasoned that
the Federal government might turn out to be
an Indian giver" and come some day to take
back that 100000 in the form of taxes.
TN that respect, as veil as in others Rhode
Il Islands action looks like a political storm
signal 1t spells new phase in the public
attitude toward Federal borrowing and Fed
eral spending. Had the big spending program.
the 81 100000 600 main chance been working
up to schedule, had it been putting millions
instead of few thousand to work and making
good on unemployment of one person in pri-
vate industry for every one on public projects,
the attitude of Rhode Island voters probably
would have been different
All of which-as the Rhode Island result
may be typical of public sentiment in other
states that hGvent voted yet-is further and
eloquent argument for President Roosevelt
concentrating on his one big bet.
AS the New Deals relief and public en-
ployment expenditures were originally pro-
posed. they seemed necessary. as the only way
to case the misery of hapess humans who were
the victims of the botch that the old order
had made of our economic system, And as
viewed now in retrospect. We can see no other
way by which the economic machine could
have been kicked off dead center. The credit
of the Federal government had to be tapped
at time when private units were creditleSs.
SO the Federal credit was tapped, early and
often, even back in the days of Hoover, and
then on in the regime of Roosevelt. Then came
the biggest tap of all-the one that was to put
every employsble back on the job.
4 the high hopes of that endeavor began
L n to dim with the begging down that came
with red tape and internal pulling and hauling,
as the national debt continued to mount with
nothing much in the wav of re-emplovment to
show for it, large question mark began to
grow in the mind of the citizens of Rhode Is
land and elsewhere. The question asked:
WHITTIER are We going and where do We come
out?"
And as that question was followed by the
presentation of tax measure which, after
much baIyhoo. proved capable of producing
not enough money to run our government for
three weeks, public attention began 10 con-
centrate on the subject of a terminal on the
whole business of governmental borrowing.
1t was in that state of mind, we believe. that
Rhode Island voted
SO without wanting to become unduly
monotonous We desire to reiterate:
Mr.. President, the key to success for you
and your Administration. and to the success of
the many splendid and human reforms that
You have brought about. lies in that S4SOO,-
100000 work relief program which now so
drely needs your own personal direction.
Make that 60. and all the rest will 60. and
there will be no more Rhode Islands when the
next votes are cast"
LABOR RELATIONS