Evening star., 1939-01-08
Relief
Continued From First Page }

where they might have real oppor-
tunities for making a living on the
land. If 10 could go to each of the
five States which would welcome
them most heartily, an effective ex-
perience would be worked out In
practical terms which would afford
a means of enlarging the numbers
OF those returning gradually"
Three Plans Outlined.
The shift of base would be financed
by the existing grants or subsidies
which these people would obtain
under the relief, social security or
w. P. A. works programs"
Three plans were outlined-"not
because we are advocating them at
the moment, but because they need
to be stated and studied carefully,
and, most of all, experimental with
in the near future"
These were described as follows:
Il. Subsidize the present families
by straight payment of so much per
week to stay out Of any Of the large
cities, except under very special
conditions.
q. Make health, educational, and
other grants in the local areas of
the Southland, whence these new
comers to Washington migrated, or
whence migration is likely to take
place in the future. dependent upon,
or partly dependent upon, the exist
ing migrants and the proposed
migrant families returning to or
remaining in the Southland. Mean
while, the remaining families could
be guided to q richer, better life
through the cooperative programs
of the Farm Security Administra-
ton, the land grant colleges. the
local and county agents. and private
farm Improvements and demonstra-
ton projects.
Would Provide FarmsteadS.
SO. Provide adequate farmsteads
under a scheme of financing the
subsidy, whereby, at the end of an
eight-year period, family which
successfully had maintained itself
on the land for five out of eight
years might be given title to the
farmstead, much in the same way
as free lands, under the various
homestead acts, were awarded to
settlers in previous years, beginning
with the Revolutionary War, and
especially with the passage Of the
Morrill, Act in Lincoln's administra-
ton"
To demonstrate that this program
"is not fantastic" the report says
that study was made to determine
If there was a difference in the cost
of relief and Social Security Act
grants between the District and the
several Southern States where more
than 81 per cent of the old-age
recipients here originated. Giving
comparative data for Alabama,
Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Missis-
sippi, the Carolinas. Tennessee, the
Virginias and Maryland, the report
says "in practically every category
of assistance a. family is being
assisted in the District at a total
cost, frequently of $40 per month
more, and in certain other instances
of SIS and $40 per month more
than it would cost to provide cate
gorical or relief grants in the South
ern States" Consequently, it is
added, the sum representing the
difference in costs could be used
for subsidizing the resettlement.
School and Medical Costs.
Along the same line, the report
also answers those who say mi
grants come here for better educa-
tional and medical facilities by
emphasizing that I'VE know from
experience that it would cost the
Federal and District governments
much less to provide hospital and
medical care in the smaller towns
rural areas and even in the cities
Of these Southeastern States than
1t would to provide these services
at higher cost in the District"
For relocating the families, the
report suggests a farm layout cost
ing approximately $500, and cult
waited under the guidance of the
Farm Security Administration and
local agricultural agencies.
The report paints a dark picture
of a migration of sharecroppers and
other lower income groups" into
urban areas already overburdened
and slum- tainted"
Though they may not attempt to
prevent reasonable movements of
population" it says, "the cities and