Evening star., 1937-01-03
%77,5)Q,0D0 URGED
FOR WORK RELIEF.
Mayors Conference Asks
President to Meet Respon-
SibiIity.
ny NELSON M. SHEPARD.

DIX NELSON M. Sd6E AMI
Urging the Federal Government 'tc
meet its full responsibility" during the
remainder Of the fiscal year, the
United States Conference Of Mayors
yesterday asked President Roosevelt to
recommend appropriation o: $877,-
100000 to provide work for 2,700, 900
persons from February l to June 80.
This exceeded by $377,5oo 900 the
amount the President is reported to
have in mind for work relief. Harry
L. Hopkins, works progress admins
traitor, is understood to have proposed
the sum of s750, 100000 to the Presi-
dent.
The mayors said their figure repre-
sented the minimum" needed for
bona flde employable relief persons" "
despite an admitted industrial up
turn and substantial business re-
covery."
The s877 100000 request, they ad-
vised the President, was based on a
Federal cost of s65 per month per
worker. The relief load. however, ex-
ceeded by 100000 the latest estimate
of w. p. A. rolls as of December 81,
which was 100000 persons.
approximately 500 900 employable
relief persons, now on local relief rolls.
have not yet been absorbed by the
w. p. A. or other Federal work pro-
grams" the mayors reported.
The President was told the number
of eligibles for w. P. A. work during
December probably cannot be de-
creased within the next five months.
100 Major Cities Surveyed.
The 70-page report, based on q re-
lief survey of 100 major cities. was
left at the White House by Paul
Betters, secretary of the Mayors Con-
ference
The w. P. A. was reported as hav-
ing less than s160,0O0,0o0 available,
enough to carry the relief load to the
end of January.
The President is said to be consid-
ering the transfer of other funds to
augment his $500,000,000 estimate,
but there is no assurance he will in
sert larger figure in the budget.
The report said improvement in
business in general and the re-employ-
ment by private industry since last
March has been substantial and en-
couraging and the trend is still ad-
mittedly upward, but declared there Is
still need for direct relief and for
w. P. A. work opportunities for the
destitute employable persons.
Desire to Supply Work.
The Mayors reiterated their belief
that work, not the dole, is "the Amerl-
can way of providing aid to able
bodied relief persons" They added
that the problem of aiding the So
called "unemployable" relief group is
"a responsibility which we believe rests
solely with the localities and the
States"
They embodied in the report six
cardinal principles and recommended
tions as follows:
81. 1t should now be realized by
the Nation that the problem of un-
employment relief is no longer of an
emergency character.
80. That unemployment is ma
tional problem requiring continuing
national action.
"3. That Federal responsibility for
those who are involuntarily unem-
ployed and destitute is both proper
and required by present conditions.
a. That in meeting this response
bility work and jobs and not soup
kitchens and bread lines is the Ameri-
can method.
IS. That provision for the unem-
playable group is a truly local and
State responsibility which should In
all cases be assumed.
IS. That the present w. P. A. has
done and is doing useful and needed
public work of benefit to the people"