Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-11-28
tQoIIji'ia9'g@ES5ii(21a(1
National Topics Interpreted "a GIMM4
by William Bruckart 1TnlIl0
PressB AS>nE171dIF

November 1, by which time he figured
that made-work would be available for
the 100000. This figure was the top
most limit for which the federal gov
eminent was to be responsible. The
states and municipalities were to take
care Of the remainder of roughly
100000 who had to have help.
November came along and Mr..
Hopkins changed the date to December
He did this after consultation with
the President who announced with con-
siderable emphasis that he meant just
what he said and that federal relief
was going to stop as of December /.
But 1t seems the machinery was too
ponderous to get in motion in time to
absorb all of these workers. Most
folks recognized it weeks ago but Mr..
Hopkins steadfastly chung to his
dream and that dream, like so many
others, was dissipated in the thin air
and sank almost without trace.
On Top OF THIS dOpklnS failure mas
come a serious problem. 1t is serious
for the administra-
Serious ton not only because
Problem of the fact that win
ter is coming on and
people must be fed and clothed but it
is delicate from the political stand
point. In the last few weeks a con-
siderable number of complaints have
reached Washington officials from
those who were provided with work.
They contend that the government
wage rate is insufficient to meet their
needs. This results from the increased
cost of living-higher prices for food
and clothing and the other necessaries
of life.
The administration Is being blamed
for this condition. Opponents Of the
New Deal are capitalizing this discon-
tent. They are saying to the folks
who find the wages too small that they
have been made the victim of New
Deal policies, such as tampering with
the currency, Matchmaking silver, pay
ing bounties for reduced production on
the farms and the like.
The upshot of the situation is that
not only those on made-work who are
paid by the government and those who
are on legitimate pay rolls Of in
dustry are becoming thoroughly dis
satisfied. They are demanding more
money. do not believe anyone can
forecast what will happen. One thing
is certain: If industry must increase
wages, consumers will have to pay the
price. There will be further increases
in the things we all buy in event
higher wages are obtained from COM
merce and industry. And, If the gov
eminent raises wages to those on made
work, the drain on the treasury will be
correspondingly faster. The taxpayer
has to pay this. So all in all there is
a difficult problem to be solved by the
President and his relief advisers.
Few Of us ever stop to think what
job 1t is to maintain the supply of
=. money in circulation.
IT'S Some Omitting any consid-
Big job Grafton of the paper
currency which keeps
the gigantic bureau of printing and en-
craving operating "a hours each day
and considering only the coins that
Jingle, it requires the operation Of two
or three great plants to mint our
money.
The bureau Of the mint in the treas
ury gave out some figures the other
day that seem to me to be most inter-
esting. They are interesting because
of their size. On the basis Of these
figures, 1t Is calculated that there are
actually in the pockets of the Ameri-
can people the following number Of
coins, each figure being an approxima-
ton: 1,000,000.000 dimes, 1,4OO,OOO,-
600 nickels, 5,500,OOO,OOO pennies,
400.000,OO0 quarters, 2OOOOO.0OO half
dollars and approximately 33,000,0O0
silver dollars.
These figures furnish an interesting
commentary as well on our present
modes of living. They supply a side
light on our system of taxation which
calls for pennies, nickels and dimes
here, there and everywhere as a result
of sales taxes. Besides, transportation
systems like the street cars call for an
exceptionally large quantity Of the
minor coins like nickels and dimes.
One could enumerate a score Of fac
tors in modern life that compel each
Of us to carry and use these small
coins.
The mint bureau is authority also
for the information that even this
stupendous sum of minor coins seems
insufficient The minis, accordingly,
have been speeded up and they are
now working at rate almost double
that of 1894. How much further they
will have to expand cannot be fore
told, but as an innocent bystander, 1
fear that II have to carry coins In
any greater number than l have had
them loaded In my pockets, 1t is going
to mean new business for the ta1lors.
They will have steady work replacing
trouser pockets.