PRESIDENT’S BOLD PROGRAMME

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20000, 7 January 1935, Page 7

PRESIDENT’S BOLD PROGRAMME

GROWING OPPOSITION TO DOLE PLANS TO GET MEN BACK TO WORK United Press Association—Bv Electric Telegraph—Copyright WASHINGTON, January 4. A new and greatly enlarged plan of work for relief purposes was proposed to Congress by Mr Roosevelt. Without estimating the cast or greatly detailing the proposals, he declared that instead of a continuance of outright doles, the Government should put 3,500,000 unemployed to work clearing slums, and on other public works. The President gave an assurance that the figures proposed for this budget would be presented on January 1, and would “be within the sound mopey credit of the Government.” He reported “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. OPPOSITION TO RELIEF PRESIDENT'S HOPE ENDORSED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received January 6, 6.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, January 4. The almost universal congressional acclaim that followed President Roosevelt’s message saying that “the Federal Government must and shall quit this business of relief,” is obviously a true reflection of public ‘opinion. The effect of the dole system, established under 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, withhold comment, pending the Budget message, in which the details of the financing of the work-creating projects will be presented, and some of the Liberals made the charge that the transition to a new system would result in great hardships, particularly among the working class known as the “unemployables,” the care of which has been turned over to the States and local Governments. America’s Mounting Debt. One opponent of the Administration declared he would support the public works expenditures if the expense would not make the public debt exceed 30 billion dollars by mid-summer as predicted by President Roosevelt in his last Budget message. As the debt is now in excess of 28 billion dollars, it appears that it would leave a relatively small margin to empToy the 3,500,000 envisaged by the President. In a Press interview following his address, President Roosevelt pointed out that 18,000,000 to 20,000,000 receiving relief represented only about 5,0.00,000 heads of families, and an attempt would be made to absorb these in Government works or private industry.