RELIEF WORK

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 87, 7 January 1935, Page 7

RELIEF WORK

President Roosevelt’s Plan GENERAL ACCLAIM Determination to End Dole System By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received January 6, 0.20 p.m.) Washington, January 5. A new and greatly-enlarged plan of work for relief was proposed to Congress by President Roosevelt without estimating the cost or entering greatly into detail. He declared that instead of continuing outright doles the Government should put 3.500,000 unemployed to work clearing slums and on other public works. He assured Congress that the figures proposed for the Budget of January 7 would “be within the sound money credit of the Government.” He reported that there were “more gains than losses in 1934 and a strong hope in 1935.” A promise was given that he would soon propose definite legislation on unemployment and old age insurance.

The almost universal Congressional acclaim that followed President Roosevelt's message saying “the Federal Government must and shall quit this business of relief” was obviously a true reflection of public opinion. The effect of the dole system established under the relief administration is rapidly becoming a pernicious influence on American life as well as a drain on the nation’s finances.

Several Opposition senators, however, withheld comment pending the Budget message in which details of financing the work-creating projects will be presented, and some Liberals made the chargte that the transition to the new system would result in great hardships, particularly among the working class known as “unemployables,” the care of which has been turned over to the States and local government. <

One administration opponent declared he would support the public works expenditures if the expense did not make the public debt exceed 31 billion dollars by midsummer, as predicted by President Roosevelt in his last Budget message. As the debt is now in excess of 28 billion dollars it appears it would leave a relatively small margin to employ the 3,500,000 persons envisaged by the President. In a Press interview following his address, President Roosevelt pointed out that the eighteen to twenty million people*receiving relief represented only about five million heads of families. and an attempt would be made to absorb these in Government works or private industry.