The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-09-17

ing power of wage earners ana farmers have increased the business of merchants and brought orders to manufacturers"
 Distress Calls For Action
 While stressing the increased ob- ligation of local charity, MT. Roose- welt reaffirmed that when human distress reaches the point that gov- ernment assistance is necessary, government up to the limit of it's local, its state and its federal re- sources must and does act"
 "The cooperation given by the federal government" MT. Roosevelt said, fin social welfare activities extends rather than contracts the responsibility of private activities for local relief.
 Happily, private organizations are now in a better position to ac- complish greater things than for many years past. Increase in pros perity heightens the obligation of every individual to aid in the relief of distress in his or her own col1l- Inunity."
 Hits Back at Critics
 Striking at those who critize gov- ernment relief policies, the president said: q resent and you resent, l am sure, those supercilious and unchar- itable sneers which from small element among us have been direc- ted against those in need and against those who were honestly seeking to help those in need"
 The government, MT. Roosevelt said, has undertaken 8 solution Of personal and family insecurity - "that difficult problem of past years"-in part through enactment of the social security act providing for cooperative federal and state public welfare. This program, he said, largely has freed private agen- cies for tasks more fitted to private than government administration" 1" These he defined as:
 Outlines Program
 gro encourage private reemploy- rnent of those on the relief rolls; to continue and extend medical care of all kinds; to minister to the hum dreds of thousands of cases which present special problems; to build up recreational opportunities"
 Responding to the president, Ger. aid Swope, president of General Electric and chairman of the con- ference, said "the prospect Of a brighter outlook on our economic horizon, which last year we fore cast with some temerity, has been more than justified in the past twelve months"
 Men and women have been going back to work this past year In i1- creasingly large numbers and "all signs point to an acceleration oi that trend" Swope said. .
 "But," he added, If we are to approach real recovery, the achieve ments of our social services must show corresponding progress"
 Partlsanship Taboo
 .Partisanship is taboo on this oc- casion. Holding seats near MT Roosevelt when he spoke were some of his most bitter political enemies. Places on the platform were as- signed Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, advisor to Gov. Ali M. Landon; Newton D. Baker, former demo- cratic cabinet member who oppsoes the New Deal; Wendell Willkie, pri- vate utility magnate and critic oi administration power policies.
 Gerard Swope, president of the General Electric Company and con- ference chairman, set out the na. tional need that brought the grour together-the necessity for more money of the 35 welfare organiza. tions cooperating with community chests.
 Text of Address
 Following is the text of President Roosevelt's address today at open