Evening star., 1938-05-11
Relief

iCOTtlnueQ from flTSI Pdgp.)
to State officials wave of corrup-
tion" would ensue.
In calling for creation of a perma-
nent national relief set-up, Represent
ative Maverick said the Democrats
must face the problem of the country
courageouSly since the Republican
party is entirely bankrupt of pro-
gram"
Representative Hoffman, Republican,
OF Michigan. said recovery will come
III the President confines his efforts to
the job for which he was elected and
keeps his nose out of business"
Declaring Congress should punish
those who violate the principle of fair
play and decency, Mr. Hoffman charged
that the c. 1. o. and John L. Lewis, in
my own district, have been collecting
dues from relief funds which this Con-
gress votes
See Threat to SOlvency.
The Appropriations Committee
minority report attacked the admin
istration's lending-spending program
as threat to national solvency" 1t
also called current business condi-
tions a Roosevelt depression"
The minority proposed a 12-point
recovery program Of their own,
calling, among other things, for a
congressional investigation of the
Works Progress Administration, local
Federal bipartisan administration of
relief, and sweeping changes and re-
vision in much Of the Roosevelt ad-
ministration's economic program.
Provision Held "Unmoral."
Mr., Bacon described the lending
provision as immoral" Representa-
tive Umstead. Democrat, of North
Carolina, opposing the provision dur
ing committee considerat ton, declared
he did not think the Federal Govern
ment ought to tempt local officials
to avoid and evade existing statutes
in order to secure public works prof.
ects."
In asking for administration of
relief by q Federal bipartisan board
aided by local bipartisan boards, the
Republican minority report suggested
Federal grants be limited to 80 per
cent of each States relief needs.
Political exploitation of relief work.
ers." the report asserted. lis de-
moralizing national scandal" under
the prevailing administrative set-up.
The relief system, it added. is op-
Grated in many States and cities as
AN adjunct Of the local New Deal
political organization
At another point the Republicans
declared that fluctuations in the
relief rolls are determined. not by
actual need as reflected in the move
ment of general business, but by po-
litlcal considerations related to the
incidence of general elections"
Other high points in the II Re-
publican recommendations for re-
covery included outright repeal Of the
undistributed profits tax, elimination
OF tax-exempt securities, reduction of
Social Security taxes, elimination of
"harassing restrictions and admins
tration assaults on business" restric-
ton OF Government competition with
private business, revision of the Wag-
ner Act to promote employer-employe
harmony" repeal of the Thomas
Greenback law" which authorizes the
President to issue up to $4,000, 900 900
in currency. and a prohibition against
the use Of any Federal relief funds
which would put public agencies in
competition with private business.
Political Raid on Treasury.
The lending-Spending program was
denounced by House Republicans at
their first legislative strategy confer
ence OF the year yesterday. In
statement-one not connected with the
report-they called the ad-
bill another New Deal
political raid on the Treasury" and
predicted that the deficit next year
would be increased to S., 1000, ,0OO, 900.
First Conference of Kind.
The Republican conference was the
first of its kind this year. Heretofore the
minority has let dissenting Democrats
take the lead in fighting administra-
ton members, but in this case the ma
jority leaders declared most Demo-
Gratis were supporting the Presidents
Coming as it does. after five years
OF reckless and demoralizing political
squandering," the Republican state
ment said, this program threatens
to plunge the Nation at last into a
cataclysmic imitation, which easily
might wipe out the cultural, social