Evening star., 1938-07-03

! ~ Hardly had the echo of the Presi-
dents words died than Federal Relief Administrator
Harry Hopkins announced increases in w. wages in
Is Democratic Southern States with the largest boosts
going to relief workers in Kentucky and Oklahoma.
Why Kentucky and Oklahoma? Well, perhaps it is only
coincidence that in both these States the New Deal is
engaged in desperate struggles renonae two Of Its
chief followers.
/ Kentucky and Oklahoma Fights.
| In Kentucky Gov Happy" Chandler is seeking to
unseat Dear Alben" Barkey, the Senate Democratic
leader while in Oklahoma Senator Elmer Thomas leader
Of the New Deal imitation bloc bese by two opponents
for the Democratic nomination And also Oklahoma.
William H. Murray severe critic of Mr.. Roosevelt is
seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
! Most people. however will think it is more than
coincidence that the of these campaigns relief
workers in these States should have their in
creased by than so and others by 80
cent For instance the wages of unskilled workers in
Kentucky and Oklahoma increased between SO and
$l1 month but increases only 81 to Sc month
in the other Southern States.
Washington correspondent curious about the
for such discrimination. consulted the w P A. He
reported to his that "a w. p A.
sentative said he knew of explanation for the favorable
dierenal to Oklahoma and Kentucky except that the
President and Mr.. Hopkins wanted it that way"
| Just Another Coincidence.
Most significant however, was that "a hours before
Hopkins revealed his action in Washington the Kentucky
increases in Louisville by the State
administrator. an appontee of Senator Barkey Perhaps
| 1t was coincidence that that day Gov. Chandler
formally launched his campaign for the senatorial nom
nation And Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr.. Hopkins deny they
| are playing politics with relief funds!
| Then the frank if not also brash, speech of
Deputy Administrator of Federal Relief Aubrey Williams.
Addressing meeting called by the Workers Alliance Of
America, radical organization Of relief workers, Mr.
Williams openly urged those the Federal relief rolls to
vote to the New Deal He made bones what
about his desire to have relief workers vote for New
| Deal candidates.
Although Mr.. Williams subsequently denied he made a
political speech transcript of his talk made public
by the Workers Alliance which in accord with the
| reports of the newspaper men present.
We've got to stick together. Mr. Williams was quoted
telling the relief workers. We've got to keep
friends in thought that speech Friday night the
Presidents chat wonderful don't need to tell you.
You know friends WELL Just judge the folks
who come and ask for support by the crowd they
| run with"
Symphonies, Painting and Writing
Williams also was quoted as saying that Il have the
feeling that long you and live, the Government is
going to support symphonies"
And the thing goes for painting and writing"
he continued There may be lapses. But have got
conviction that the American people have tasted blood
here The men who stand for these sort OF things are
| the men you are going to send to the elections"
The deputy relief administrators theme was that w.
A. should pay relief workers the prevailing
in private industry He urged his audience to keep on
fighting for w. p A. wages-and he made it clear that
such fighting should take place at the polls this year. He
asked his audience to keep in mind that "a government
can get no further than it get support or-whch is
pregnant thought, though is not grammatical
1t is wonder that went from all sides for the
immediate dismissal of Mr. williams. But from the White
House CAME nothing but silence Nothing ese however
could be expected from administration that opposed
with all its efforts in Congress to punish those
who play politics with human misery.
Hands on Ballot Box"
Add to these incidents the amazing action of the
tonal Labor Relations Board in citing the American Roll
ing Mill Co. for violation of the Labor Relations Act by
taking part through its officers in municipal election
at ashland, Ky, where the company has q plant.
This was too much the New Dealish but straight
shooting Donald r. Richberg who blocked the action by
denouncng it "nasranty unconstitutional" and
subjecting business to intimidation by the threat Of
prosecution"
The National Labor Relations Board must keep its
hands of the ballot box" declared Mr.. Richberg He
might have added "the New Deal must keep s hands on
the ballot bo1,"