The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1936-10-13
RELIEF PROBLEM
STILL REMAINS
CHAMPAIGN ISSUE
MUCH SPECULATION ENTER
ED INTO AS TO WHETHER
1T WILL PROVE oUTSTAND.
ING IN ACTIVITIES
By BYRON PRICE

Il NOAhEh oE naECaus Inc AaNOeEAEEG
Press washIngtanp
Win the relief problem emerge,
| after all, as the paramount issue
of this campaign?
Months ago many predicted il
would, but the summer passed
without much indication that the
prophecy would be fulfilled. Polit.
ical discussion diffused itself over
. very wide area, taking in every
thing sfrom the, Dupont dynasty to
cemmanism. Boondogsling was
heard of now and then, but mostly
it remained lost in the cloud of
words about other things.
October. however, has develop.
ed some signs that the relief poll
cies and practices of the Roosevelt.
administration are to be debated
both widely and with bitter insis-
Ii:enee between now and election
day.
The Republican national COM
mittee has opened up so fierce a
barrage, naming individuals and
places, that some of those named
are threatening to sue for libel. A
senate committee has come under
increasing pressure to look into
charges of relief politics in Penn
sylvania. Governor Landon has
joined in a demand for greater
publicity of relief payrol.s.
|. On the other side, Relief Ad-
ministrator Hopkins has made a
blanket denial AMI counter-charge,
and West Virginia audience has
booed Senator Holt from the plat
form, with his speech attacking
relief operations undelivered.
Caused Cabinet Row
This begins to look like some
of the fire and birthstone which
had been promised so lavshly by
the advance agents of the cam
paign.
1t is hardly a secret that six
months ago, even the inner cirs
cles of the administration in
Washington were greatly agitated
over Mr.. Hopkins relief set-up.
The story never has been pub
lished, but there is reason to be-
lieve that on at least one occasion
|thebdispute came within inches of
resulting in cabinet resigna-
tion.l
dsfA debate of proportions smoul-
dered and then broke out again
and again in congress. In every
community people were quarrel
ing about relief. One of those
closest to Mr.. Landon predicted
that, if nominated, he would
plunge into the relief situation
at once. and lay it on hot and
heavy throughout the campaign.
Actually, the Republican nomi-
nee did make a beginning in that
direction in his speech of accept
ance. Other parts of his address
seemed to attract greater public
attention. however, and awaken
louder echoes in the opposition
camp. Then the drought and one
thing and another turned the de-
bate into different and somewhat
confused channels. Boon-dogglingl
was showed aside. as had been the
constitutional issue before it.
Chance For Good Debate
Who may have been responsible
for this is of less consequence
than what may happen from now.
on.
If the issue now is to be re-,
vived on a major scale, it seems
certain that the Republican at.
tack will deal more with the
methods of relief adopted by Mr..
Hopkins than with the intent of
his effort. From Governor Lam;
don down, the opposition spokes-i
men have recognized that relief
must continue, but they maintain
that the government should get
more for its money.