The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-05-05
"RELIEF"

Relief, as we have it in this country,
and as it has existed for four years, will be
recorded in history as the prize grating
scheme of the ages. The country is awak-
ening to this fact-SlOwly, very slowly, it
is true-but, surely, let us hope-and while
it is still unpopular in many quarters to in
innate that relief is graft at its biggest
from Harry Hopkins favorite scheme for
diSsipating public money.
1t is true there has been less misuse and
waste of relief money in the South than
in the more populous States, but those who
are informed, realizing how bad conditions
have been in the South, can easily visual
ize the conditions existing in the great
population centers, where terrific pressure
of every sort that could be brought to bear
on the public officials and politicians has
been used In many cases this has been
done with the enthusiastic consent and APP
prevail of the office holders and politicians,
who figured that the scheme was one
made to order" for their benefit.
Contemplating the ''relief" graft, this
newspaper was interested in a Cincinnati
Times-Star editorial dealing with eondi-
tons in that city and in Hamilton county,
Ohio. The Times-Star says:
During the month of April the number of relief
cases in Hamilton county dropped from nearly 49,
600 to about 10000. A few months ago such a
sudden decline would have been called impossible.
But it is simply the result of the workings of hu-
man nature, combined with vigorous displacement
work One reason for the decline was the penlten-
tiary sentence recently imposed by Judge Mack on
a Cincinnati relief chiseler. Following that event,
some hundreds of men relief, who felt that
their own records would not bear scrutiny, has
tened to get off the rolls. Another reason is the
growing feeling that, since no more relief money
is Forthcoming from Columbus, people on rehel
had better hunt for jobs.
'"Most important reason of all is the house-to-
house survey conducted by the Hamilton county
welfare department. During the first three weeks
of April case-workers visited 6,797 homes and
talked 70 families on relief. In 1854 additional
cases they found nobody home and will go back.
These visits of investigation weeded out MANY I'M
deserving cases. In addition, the recently formed
nersonnel department has fouad jobs for about
700 people. Job placements are increasing steadily
as q result of close cooperation between the wei
fare department and the Cincinnati employment
center.
ssThe other day Cleveland relief officials wired
the Hamilton county office to find out how they
were doing it. The answer is simple. The local
officials are putting into practice the common sense
theory that the way to cut down relief rolls Is to
oct rid of chisellers and to find jobs for the Wiling
.Hamilton eounty's recent record has attracted
attention elsewhere than in Cleveland. 1t seems
70 have had something to do with the legislatures
decision to vote no more relief funds until the
cities and counties confne relief to those genu-
inely in need"
The foregoing is evidence that relief
can be controlled in the great population
centers of the country and that graft can
be eliminated. Cincinnati, no doubt, has
only made start in the right direction,
but if this policy is continued vigorously ii
will accomplish the ends desired.
All of which brings us around again to
repeat a question which has been asked
thousands of times and for which no an.
swer has yet been found by the national
administration.
That is the question as to why the fed,
eral government has steadfastly declined
TO make a census of unemployment in the
nation, for the purpose of ascertaining thu
facts in regard to that portion of the popu
lation claiming to be jobless and absolute
w in need of public assistance.
That is the weakest point in the position
of the government with reference to its pc
craft. The government does not know tn