The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-06-25
SEEN
HEARD
around the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL

AAPx i AN
Washington.-On the outgo side of
the national ledger the relief item is
the most important single factor in
determining how far the budget falls
short of balancing Any congressional
debate on relief, therefore invariably
brings In the budget question. Recently
the senate debated relIef-and heard
about the budget
The most searching examination OF
the budget problem came from DEM
ocrat-Senator Byrd of Virginia, fire.
quent critic Of New Deal policies. He
brought up the question, Why is the
budget suffering from progressively In
creasing relief expenditures when busi-
ness conditions are improving?
On the basis OF figures supplied by
the acting director Of the budget, Mr..
Byrd calculated that In the fiscal year
starting July the government would
spend for ordinary purposes and relief
$600.000,0O0 more than In the current
year.
This means he said, that we will
spend nearly $1.0OO,OO0OO0 more than
In 1885 and s3,OOO,0OO,OOO more than
in 1888; yet conditions today are great
ly improved and the need for relief
and governmental expenditures Is much
less than In those previous years"
In 1887, he continued, the govern
ment will collect $1,000, 100000 more
In taxes than In 1895, land still the
deficit continues In an alarming
amount"
Similar protests against increasing
taxes were voiced at last weeks gen
eral meeting of the Iron and Steel
Institute In New York. Remarking
that relief expenditures were mounting
at the same time that employment and
payrolls were going up. Eugene g.
Grace, president OF the institute, said
that "the only sure way u cure un-
employment and solve the problem OF
relief IL to increase production"
AS sidelight to all this discussion
of government spending, the treasury
announced plans for our largest peace
time financing operation-$2 ,050, 600 600
which was offered on June Is. 1t
will increase the public debt to about
$32. 100000, the highest yet.
All States Share
Benefits under the Social Security
act are now shared, under one or more
Of It's provisions, by all the 48 states
as well as Hawaii and Alaska. accord
Ing to survey made at the Office of
the Social Security board.
The survey revealed that, since Feb
ruary and up to the period ending June
80, the Social Security board has ap-
proved grants In aid or administra-
ton expenses totaling about 10000, 600
Most OF this has been paid to those
states that have qualified under unem-
ployment compensation and public as
sistance laws approved by the board.
The board also has made payment
ployment composition laws. as we'll as
grants for other social services carried
on under the chldren's bureau Of the
Department of Labor. the Public Health
service and the office of education.
Scope of Aid Widened
Although not every state has shared
In all the benefits OF the Social Sc
curity act the number OF states SUBJ
hitting plans for approval to the Social
Security board is increasing. Eleven
states and the District of Columbia
already have had unemployment COM
pensatlon plans approved by the board.
About 100000 workers, or 40 per cent
of all those eligible In the entire
country, now are covered by approved
plans.
In addition, plans for old-age as
sistance free penslons) have been ap-
proved by the board for 80 states,
which now have 628,674 needy aged
on their rolls. Twenty-one state laws
covering assistance to more than 10000
blind persons have been approved by
the board.
Nineteen state plans for aid to
184,S03 dependent children also have
been approved
The board has made no official es-
Inmates OF federal benefit payments,
but an unofficial tally revealed these
approximate figures for the February
June. 1896, period.
Public assistance ........... .s22. 437ls3.b.
Unemployment compensation 20
Vocational rehabilitation -. 1900 90
Public Health Service ....... s.333333.0O
Plans are being made for an emu
meration of 26,000,0O0 wage-earners,
who will be covered on January !, 1897,
by the old-age benefit compulsory con-
tributory pensions) provision Of the
security act
Federal Role Indirect
The Social Security act dellmits the
functions Of the federal and state gov.
ernments. The states have the prl.
mary task OF administration OF laws
enacted by them. passing OF amend.
ments appointment OF staff and organ
ization OF unemployment compensation
commissions.
The role of the Iederal government