The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-08-14
RELIEF IS Seen
AS PERMANENT
U.S.PROBLEM
Billions Spent for Doles
Not the Answer to
Unemployment
INDUSTRIAL UTOPIA
is NEW DEAL DREAM
By RICHARD l.. HARDNESS
Copyright 1886 by United Press


WASHINGTON. Aug. II. (UP).
New Dealers see relief as a semi
permanent billion-dollar problem
with only one real sOlutlOn-ther
dream of making America an IN
dustrial utopia.
They frankly say the $1,000
100000 spent for doles and WORK
relief since 1888 is not the an
swer. Relief does not return I'M
employment to private payrolls.
Only through the fundamental
changes in American life do they
see relief rolls declining to the
vanishing point:
l, Limit workers to the span
between Is and So years.
9. Shorten work weeks: per-
haps to 30 hours.
8. Expand the social security
system.
That is their three-pOint pro-
gram, their long-range plan for
reducing ranks of the present
10000, 900 unemployed. Works
progress Administrator Harry l.
hopkins is it's chief, though silent
Supporter. -.
He explains his stand in his
own words, a statement read be-
fore the house appropriations
committee when it was consider
ing the 81, 425,OOO,O00 wOrk-relief
annroDriation for 1861.
1.-THE best figures that are
available would indicate that iii
1928 and 1929. there were as
many as 100000 or 2,5OO,OOO
people unemployed, and from that
UP to probably 100000 unem-
pioyed in the United States late
in 1882 and early in 1888.
"There are now probably o.
100000 more employed than were
employed in March 1888, but you
have got to remember that since
1929, there has been a 100000
net annual increase in the num-
Der of people looking for work.
Hopkins statement is signifi-
cant. 1t means that, in the econ
omic boom years of 1928 and
1929, one-fifth as many Ameri-
cans were out of work as there
are now. He continues:
sWe have had a distinct I'M
prevement in three years. There
ought to be more. If we are not
going to get an increase in private
employment through normal chan
nels in the near future, we should
be thinking of doing other things
than merely planning for unem-
ployment relief.
"For instance, it seems perfect
ly absurd to me that We have
100000 to 1000 children under
IS years of age that work in in
dustry when We have high-school
graduates, college graduates and
others roaming the streets looking
for jobs.
cit seems equally absurd to
me that we have some 3,SSO,OOO
working in factories and in indus
try in America over the age OF
IS. In other words, | think the
emphasis and the thinking of
CONGRESS should be far more on
the whole problem of unemploy-
ment itself than on the problem
of relief"
THE administration already had
taken short, but straight-ahead
steps toward limiting work ages.
President Roosevelt advocated the
plan in a formal address before
young Democratic clubs of Mary
land at Baltimore last spring.
The social security board is
providing old-age pensions for
persons over 65. The national
youth administration, operated I'M
der Hopkins, is furnishing part
time employment to high school,
college and graduate students to
keep the mat their studies intsead
of looking for jobs.
A shortened work week is a
strong possibility if President
Roosevelt is reelected. A bill to
cut hours to 80 is pending before
congress and has support from
the American Federation of La
Dor. Adoption and enforcement
Of the measure would cause en-
ployers to add thousands to their