Imperial Valley press., 1935-11-21
EDITORIAL PAGE
THURSDAY,
NOVEMBER q, 1885
STRAWS IN THE WIND
OF PROSPERITY


The announcement that only 90 men
are available for Works Progress Ad-
ministration jobs in Imperial Valley is
encouraging for two reasons:
l. 1t demonstrates conclusively that
the day of stringent necessity for direct
relief to large number of persons in the
valley has passed.
2. 1t shows that relief and re-employ-
ment agencies of the federal government
here have coordinated their efforts to the
great benefit of all.
The words of j. Kenneth HickoX, man.
ager of WPA in the valley, crystalized
the belief that relief rolls here will have
have purged within a few weeks of all
able bodied individuals Those people
remaining will be the ones physically un-
fit to undertake constructive work of any
kind. They are the unfortunateS for
whom society always has had to care,
and for whom society always must care.
They are the ones considered by Relief
Administrator Harry Hopkins when he
announced that the federal government
will not terminate its relief programs in
their entirety Jan. /.
The situation in the valley is not local
lied. In Santa Maria, federal relief Off
cials discovered that relief projects are
going begging for want of men to work
on them. No unemployed men are avail
able there, leaving three federal relief
projects without manpower. The tax
payers in Santa Maria will not complain,
any more than will the taxpayers in I'M
perial Valley.
At the outset of relief administration
in all its various branches, there was
great wave of criticism because persons
on relief would not accept employment
in private industry. They preferred to
remain on relief rolls, where the size of
paw checks did not depend so much on
the zeal of labor. Recognizing the danger
in such a situation, federal officials set
about to overcome it. How we'll they
have done So at least in some localities,
is demonstrated in Imperial Valley and
Santa Maria.
Much of the results seen here have
been brought about through the cooper
alton of two agencies, and more lately
of third. They are State Emergency
Relief Administration, the National Re-
employment Service and the Works Prog
ress Administration. Under the latest
schedule, SERA is the direct relief or
ganization, WPA the work relief agency,
and MRS the office through which relief
clients are reinstated in private industry.
Only through close cooperation especial
ly between SERA and MRS has it been
possible to place many former relief
workers in private employment, reliev-
ing the federal government of the eX-
pense of their upkeep.
Imperial Valley, the result of this CO.
operation will be reflected in an eased
tension in county government, where
storm has been brewing over the likeli-
hood that the county will have to take
over administration of direct relief. One
of the greatest sources of controversy
will be removed when there is no longer
necessity for relief to able-bodied per-
sons. The county always has recognized
a responsibility in caring for the aged
and helpless, but its agents have baked
at providing for those who are able to
work
Overshadowing all this, however, IS the
undeniably present indication of pros
perity reflected in more jobs. 1t is the
most cheerful news of the day.
Spain bans "The Devil is a Woman"
and Spanish students protest against the
American film corporation which screen
ed the picture. In Spain, they don't like
TO glorify His Satanic Majesty.
people are more important than pigs
says Secretary Wallace. Just a minute
till we look at the market report.