Evening star., 1935-11-29

tories, in seeking q fairer wage level
for those on starvation pay and in
giving to the workers hope for the
right collectively to bargain with their
employers.
You and will not forget the long
struggle to put an end to the indis-
criminate distribution Of "hy-by-night"
securities. and to provide fair regula-
ton Of the stock exchanges and Of
the great interstate public utility com.
panies Of our country.
You and I-yes, every individual
and every family in the land-arc
being brought close to that supreme
achievement Of the present Congress
the social security law which, IN
days to come, will provide the aged
against distressing want, will set up
q national system Of insurance for the
unemployed and will extend we'll
merited care to sick and crippled
children.
Enlisted In Great Crusade.
You and I are enlisted today in a
great crusade In every part of the
land, to cooperate with nature and
not to fight her, to stop destructive
floods, to prevent dust storms and the
washing away of our precious soils,
to grow trees, to give thousands of
farm families a chance to live, and to
seek to provide more and better food
for the city dwellers of the Nation.
In this connection it is. think, OF
interest to point out that national
surveys prove that the average of our
citizenship lives today on what would
be called by the medical fraternity
o third-clasS diet. II the country
lived on q second-class diet, we would
need to put many more acres than
we use today back into the produc-
tion Of foodstufis for domestic con-
sumption. If the Nation lived on a
first-clasS diet, We would have to put
more acres than we have ever cult
waited into the production of an addi-
tional supply Of things for Amer
leans to eat,
Why. speaking In broad terms In
following up this particular illustra-
tion. are We living on a third class
diet? For the very simple reason
that the masses Of the American peo-
pie have not got the purchasing
power to eat more and better food.
Farm Incomes Increase.
mentioned q few weeks ago that
farm income in the United States
has risen since 1882 a total of nearly
5000. 900, 900. That is because wheat
Is selling at better than 80 cents, in
stead Of 80 cents; corn at so cents
instead Of II cents; cotton at IL
cents. instead of at AZ cents, and
other crops In proportion. I wonder
what cotton would be selling at today
II during these past three years We
had continued to produce $4,000, 900
or $4,000, 900 on l7,00o,0 900 bales each
year, adding to our own surplus. add
ing to the world surplus and driving
the cotton farmers of the South into
bankruptcy and starvation. The ad-
ditional $4,000 .000, 900 Of farm incsms
has meant the rebirth OF city busi-
ness, the reopening Of closed fac
tories, the doubling Of automobile
production, the improvement of trans
portation and the giving Of new en-
ployment to millions Of people.
Millions Need Relief.
That brings US squarely face to face
with the fact of the continued unem-
ployment Of many millions persons Of
whom approximately three and q half
million are employables in need Of
relief. When some Of the people Of a
great and wealthy country are suffer-
ing from starvation an honest gov
ernment has no choice. At FIRST.
realizing that we were not doing a
perfect thing but that we were doing
a necessary saving and human thing,
we appropriated money for direct re-
lief. That was necessary to ward Of
actual starvation. But as quickly as
possible we turned to the job of pro-
viding actual work for those in need.
I can realize that gentlemen in we'll
warmed and well-stocked clubs will
discourse on the expenses Of Govern
ment and the suffering that they are
going through because the Govern
ment Is spending money for work re-
lief. wish could take some Of these
men out on the battle line of human
necessity and show them the facts
that we in the Government are facing.
II these more fortunate Americans
will come with me, will not only show
them the necessity for the expendi-
lures Of this Government. but will
show them, as well, the definite and
beneficial results we have attained
with the dollars we have spent. Some
Of these gentlemen tell me that . dole
would be more economical than work
relief. That is true. But the men who
tell me that have, unfortunately, too
little contact with the true America