The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-24
THE RELIEF DILEMMA

LEW deny that the Federal government must f.
nance the bulk of relief for the next fiscal year
Fewer challenge the Presidents relief cost estimate
Of $500 100000 for the relief BILL
Great difference of opinion however exists, first,
as to the wisdom of borrowing all this money and
thereby adding to the debt and deficit and next as
to the best way of spending 1t.
Soon we must quit this carefree borrowing against
the future and begin paying as we go. The adding
of more billions to the unprecedented public debt
may be justified in emergency but unfortunately re-
lief is getting to be altogether too much routine
business.
Then there may be ways of getting more and bet
ter relief for our tax dollars Let us examine va
rioIs suggestions
The least expensive form of relief, it Is said would
be the creation of production-for-u cooperatives
among the unemployed This is the plan urged by
Upton Sinclair in California, and tried on limited
scale through FERA in Ohio. Under such barter
system, it is estimated the relief cost would be less
than one-third the present But it would set up
coectvist economy within our profit structure The
American people never would accept such dual set
up-even if it would work. SO that way seems to be
out.
The next cheapest in dollars would be the dole
cheaper if food and clothes were bought direct
from producers and passed out through government
commissares. and slightly more expensive If pur-
chased through retail channels, Handouts whether
In kind or in cash. are comparatively economical as
to cost-estimated at around 1915 per family per
year-and simple of administration But 1t is con-
tended such dole system would prove more costly
in the long run in damage to the morale of those
who receive it. 1t is contended that the high morale
among the millions of American obless today, after
six years of depression is due largely to the Admin
strstions policy of taking idle men from bread lines
and giving them jobs
Slightly more expensive is the modified dole
combination of gifts and work relief. This was tried
extensively in the year between the end of CWA and
the beginning of WPA.
THE average cost was s475 per family. 1t proved
TO be unsatisfactory compromise, and was
abandoned amid widespread criticism of the general
uselessness of the made-work projects, and OF the
damage to the self-respect of those so employed.
Next in order of expense is the WPA plan. now
in operation on wide SCALE and the mainstay of
the administration program for The year ahead
WPA undertakes to provide employment at slightly
better than subsistence wages but less than wages
paid in private industry. In determining projects
WPA takes into account capabilities of those on
farm-to-market roads and wooden bridges, employ
ing hand labor, are generally applauded as sound.
But other so-called white collar projects such as the
employment of jobless musicians in public concert
bands. widely assailed as "boondoggling" On the
whole WPA projects have furnished an average of
1900 hours of work year man at an average over
all cost of s975.
Most expensive and probably the best OF all plans
for creating employment is that OF PwA The mil
lions spent by Mr. Ickes have provided great stimu-
us to private industry, have provided respecting
employment at prevailing wages for thousands of
men who might otherwise have been forced to 60
on relief. and have resulted in the construction Of
enduring public works. But the expense is great
jobs created under PwA have cost the Federal and
state governments an average of $1,000 per man en-
pioyed substantial bloc in Congress now insists
that $750.00o.00o OF the relief appropriation be
earmarked for PwA. That would leave s75oo0oooo
for Mr.. Hopkins wPA. The question which Congress
must decide Is: Can we afford it7 The earmarkins