The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-06-15
On copitol Hill
By GEORGE L. KNAPP

Washington, d. C. (ILNS).--It was
plain in Washington long before the
Gallup poll took up the subject that
showed in the cutting of the WPA ap-
preparation. 1t is showing in the in
creasing talk about wipping out Fed
eral relief, perhaps with Uncle Sam
standing part of the expense. And la
Dor, which has been for Federal relief
from the first, and which knows that
cutting off Federal relief under cir
cumstances like the present means
something pretty close to slow star
vation for millions, may well make it
self heard-and felt.
Few people realize how early or
ganized labor saw that unemployment
on the depression scale is not local
thing. Leaders of A. F. of l.. unions
in New York sent out in March, 1880,
a call for an "emergency conference"
They stated in the call that "bread-
lines are growing, soup kitchens are
increasing; the number of those driven
to desperation because starvation faces
them and their families is multiplying
daily" And they called for program,
to be framed and carried through "by
Federal, state and municipal authori-
ties" to deal with the depression then
on hand, and others which they could
foresee.
And only month later, William
Green announced that unemployment
had already cost labor a billion dol
lars in wages.
The drive to cut Federal relief to
the bone or commit it to the states
altogether is bipartisan, is we'll
financed, and will keep up until labor
finds way to call an imperative halt.
Reports from the L. S. Forest Ser
vice show that the idea Of planting
shelter belts Of trees in the semi-arid
region is working out splendidly-
though not on the lines first tried. In
stead of the government doing every
thing and on large scale, the gov
ernment does half or a shade less, in
cooperation with the farmers of those
regions. The Forest Service furnishes
the trees and the information, the
WPA does the planting, the farmers
furnish fence material and cultivation,
and clamor for a chance to furnish
more.
''The farmers are doing so nearly
100 per cent Of their share that the
neglect is unimportant," a member Of
ha yDII
have cultivated the young trees SO
carefully that more than 65 per cent
of them grow. Crops and stock are
both protected from dust storms in
summer and blizzards in winter"
1t began in the spring of 1885, and
as one observer has put it: at has
survived soaring drought, grasshop-
per and jackrabbit plaques, and pub
lie and Congressional criticism" There
are now growing 127,000,000 trees,
from to 80 feet high; and 100000
farm dwellers are protected in their
crops, their stock, and their comfort.
From the letters they write and the
questionnaires they answer, comfort
comes highest. Which is not strange.
One can't be comfortable when his
farm is being ruined before his eyes.
+ X X
Dr. Thomas Parran, surgeon gen.
eral of the United States, told the
Senate committee holding hearings on
the Wagner national health bill that
this bill "can bring our nation to a
level of health such as it has never
known before"
He said that at least 500 of the
5000 counties of the United States
need new hospitals.
He said that health insurance should
be IAN important factor in any COM
plete national health program"
The American Medical Association
opposes health insurance. Somehow,
remembering the family doctors |
have known, | cannot help feeling
that DR.. Parran expresses the bedrock
medical sentiment in this country a