Evening star., 1936-07-09

which it unhesitatingly claims credit.
Nor is there any promise as to when
the idle are TO get jobs.
It is significant that the New Deal
platform states that the first objective
in relieving unemployment is to find
Jobs in private industry" and where
business fails to provide such employ
ment, the Government should provide
work on useful public projects"
Republicans Definite.
Nowhere in the New Deal platform
Is there any program for encourage
ment Of private business nor any word
concerning the universal complaints
Of businessmen that the New Deal re-
form program is actually retarding re-
covery and preventing unemployment.
The Republican platform has plenty
to say about this for 1t advocates spe-
officially:
a. Removal of restrictions on pro-
duction.
-. Abandonment of all New Deal
policies that raise production costs, in
crease the cost of living, and thereby
restrict buying, reduce volume and
prevent unemployment.
3. encouragement instead of him
drance to legitimate business.
a. Withdrawal of Government from
competition with private pay rolls.
s. Elimination Of unnecessary and
hampering regulations.
Adoption Of such other policies as
will furnish chance for individual
enterprise, industrial expansion, and
the restoration Of jobs"
Specifically the foregoing means the
revision Of existing laws so that busi-
ness can know by particular mention
and listing of offenses what it can
and cannot do in competition and the
removal from Government bureaus of
the power to make by means of "regu-
lationS" set of rules that ought to
be drawn up by the Congress itself
If it is to have the force OF law.
Business contends that continual
uncertainty, the introduction by Gov
ernment Of artificial factors which
raise costs and tend to produce buy
ers' strikes is a factor that is pre-
venting growth of employment.
Reforms" Carried to Extreme.
In brief, the Republican platform
argues that experimentation and re
form" have been carried to extremes
while the New Deal platform merely
states that II hopes industry will some
day employ more people. Since the
Republicans are to some extent the
party of business, large and small, and
since businessmen claim they cannot
expend unless there is opportunity and
unless Government competition is re-
moved, then the onlooker is asked to
choose between the viewpoint of the
men who have been responsible for
pay rolls in the past and the men who
say Government funds will be pro-
vided for useful projects" while the
unemployed wait for the stalemate
between Government and business to
be solved by the voters themselves.
The Republicans, incidentally, in
sist that there be a prompt deter
mination of the facts concerning relief
and unemployment" which, of course,
means taking census of the unem-
ployed, something the New Deal has
heretofore hesitated to do. The Re-
publicanS are advocates of public
works "only on their merits and sepa-
rate from the administration of relief"
Want Unhampered Industry.
So it comes down to this point: The
Republicans want to see private in
Ioo,
absorb the unemployed and the New
Dealers want to use borrowed funds to
create employment while waiting for
business to grow through means not
explained or even hinted at in the
platform.
When 1t comes to administration of
relief, there Is hardly word in the
New Deal platform. But the Repub-
Hcans are outspoken about their plan
for handling relief, which Is this:
The return Of responsibility for
relief administration to non-political
local agencies familiar with com-
munity problems
Federal grantS-in-aid to the States
and Territories while the need exists.
upon compliance with these condi-
tions:
la A fair proportion OF the total
relief burden to be provided from the
revenues OF States and local govern
ments;
"(b) All engaged in relief admins
tration to be selected on the basis of
merit and fitness;
"(c) Adequate provision to be made
for the encouragement of those per-
sons who are trying to become self
supporting"
The theory back of this plank is
that citizens committees of a nom
partisan character wholly detached
from local governments and local poll
tics be appointed from such organiza-
tions as the Community Chest and
the local welfare groups in order that
graft and political corruption may be
eliminated and local responsibility of
the neighborS emphasized.
This, 1t Is assumed, would cut down
the number of those who have been
on relief and who really are not trying
to become self-supporting but prefer
to remain on the dole. AS for politics !
in relief, this has been inevitable /,
under the present system. The, New
Deal has managed to prevent dis
closures by congressional tnyestiea-
tion, but after the election it may be
taken for granted that in the interest
Of 0 revised relief system, which the
New Deal itself might then welcome, !
the truth will be forced out and public
opinion will demand a change Il,
method Of administering the problem. I
Copyright. 1850