The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-12-02

So the Presidents plans have gone
astray. They may remain that way,
or they may go even further, de-
pending upon how long the back
ward slide of business continues. OF
one thing, you may be sure. Partly
through his own fault and partly
through the fault of the type of adj
visors with which he has surrounded
himself, Mr.. Roosevelt does not
have the confidence of as many
members of the legislative branch
as he formerly held.
1t is a little early to attempt re-
port on prospects for the regular
:. session of con-
Looking gress that con-
ForUard venes in January.
Yet, since it is
quite evident there will be nothing
in the current extra session beyond
crop control legislation-if even that
Il believe we might look forward
bit. One of the things now evident
is the position congress will take on
relief for destitute and unemployed.
I believe I see battle coming in
that direction.
1t has been apparent during the
last two years that congress was
dissatisfied with the relief system
built up by Secretary Ickes and the
professional reliever, Harry Hop
kins, works progress administrator.
The requirements, especially for the
Hopkins machine, have been met
with what has come to be called
''blank check" appropriations. That
is, congress has passed bill ap-
propriating two billions or three bill
lions or whatever was thought nee
essary by Mr.. Hopkins. 1t was just
as simple as that.
Now, however, some observers
think they detect change. They
believe they see signs that congress
will put an end to the 'blank check
method of handling relief. AS far
as anyone knows now, the President
again will ask for a huge sum to be
distributed for relief through Mr..
Hopkins-and that is when the bat
tie lines will form.
The reason there is a prospect for
nice row ON the relief question
lies in the fact that a substantial
number of Democrats and Repub-
icans feel the present relief sys-
tenn is terrifcally wasteful. They
are DESTROYS of seeing proper relief
to the fullest extent, according to
those with whom I have talked, but
they believe relief should be han
died locally. They consider that
charity workers in the cities, towns
and villages know better than some
one in Washington who should be
given food and clothing, and they
are quite convinced the cost will
be materially less. Since the fed
eral treasury has to pay the bill,
this group contends congress should
take notice of the condition and cor
rect it.
What the movement probably
means is that there are good many
senators and house members who
prefer the straight out dole to the
wasteful work relief policies spon-
sored by Mr. Hopkins and Mr.. lex
es. Mr.. Ickes was the sponsor of
the pump printing" idea, it will be
recalled. He commended that public
construction would prime the whole
business pump, and thus start a
busy business cycle. But the pump
printing has failed to keep the big
business pump going and so it is
probable there will be few further
attempts in that direction.
Congress, therefore, will be faced
again with appropriation demands
to provide food
Money and clothing and
for Relief likely the request
for the funds will
come from Mr.. Roosevelt as here
tofore-for lump sum. If the
number favoring the dole grows to
any considerable extent, there may
be a reversal of policy whether the
President wants it that way or not.
You see, in an election year (and
all house members and 30-odd sena-
tors face election canvasses again
next year, it is nice to be able to
say to the voters that they are re-
ceiving something at the hands of
their representative or their sena-
tor. The candidates can justify a
break with the President easily, and
with business sliding backward as
is the case now, there will be plenty
of relief needed for unemployed
again. The voters can be told that
they are being given charge of these
longer will have to watch Washing
ton bureaucrats waste the taxpay-
ers money. On the horizon, there
fore, it is possible to see the line of
cleavage between the New Deal
and the old line Democrats leading
to elimination of the dangerous
lump-sum appropriation and a res
toration of relief ministration into
the hands of local authorities.
There is one further consideration
in the general relief situation that
attracts attention. / think it is rea-
sonable to assume that the far-fung
relief machine which Mr. Hopkins
has built up is permeated to the
core with political appointments. 1t
is only the usual political procedure
and is not confined to the present
national administration. Assuming,
therefore, that there is such a politi-
cal machine, it is hardly open to
question that it is Roosevelt ma
chine. The picture then becomes
clear: since numerous members of
the house and senate want to con-
troll their own political destinies,
they want control of the organiza-
tons for relief in their own juris-
dictions. Further, if Mr.. Roosevelt
should want to seek a third term
nomination, those Democrats who