FRIDAY. JI'I.Y 21. 1089
Till
B ru ckart's W a s h in g to n D ig e st
Blame Absurd Relief Policies
For \\ idespread W PA Strikes
M ispuided Effort to Force Government Into Greater
Gifts to Them; A ell Radical Accusations W hen Soft
Snap Stops; Honest Distribution Congress’ Aim.
By W I L L I A M B R U C K A R T
TV N T Service. National P re ss Bldg.. Washington. D. C.
W ASHINGTON.—It is so m e tim e s
possible. I believe, to find an e x
c u se for violent action on the p a r t of
a m a r who is hungry. Likewise,
th a t u d iv id u a l’s d e s p e r a tio n m a y be
e x p la in e d when his children a r e
n e a r s ta rv a tio n . It is a social c o n
dition th a t p e r h a p s m e r its s y m p a
th e tic u n d e r s ta n d in g r a t h e r th a n
h a r s h tr e a tm e n t. When those indi
v id u a ls h a v e had the sp e c te r of s t a r
v ation re m o v e d by th e generous
h a n d of g o v e rn m e n t, how ever, it
s tr ik e s m e tha t th e r e c a n be no
justification for revolt a g a in s t the
g o v e r n m e n t or the people w hich
h a v e been re sp o n sib le for the c h a r i
ty. T h a t is to sa y n e ith e r the gov
e r n m e n t nor the citizens c a n be
held re sponsible for the h a r d luck
of a n y of us. nor does any one in
d iv id u a l ha v e a divine rig h t to such
ge n e ro sity .
Yet, th e r e exists in this c ountry
to d a y an e x tr a o r d in a r ily la r g e nuin
b e r of p e rso n s who se e m to feel the
g o v e r n m e n t m u s t bend its knees
to th e m
They h a v e lately taken
the position—la rgely m isg u id e d by
the low est g r a d e of l e a d e r s —th a t
they c a n d ic ta te to th e ir g o v e r n
m e n t and the ir n e ig h b o rs the t e r m s
upon w hich they will re c e iv e gov
e r n m e n t reliet They h a v e gone so
f a r a s to use the s tr ik e as a w eapon
to force, to coerce, th e ir g o v e r n
m e n t into g r e a t e r gifts to th e m , and
it is one of the m o s t d a n g e ro u s
tr e n d s to be noted on the horizon of
o u r c o u n try .
It is tra c e a b le , of
c o u rse , to the u tte r ly a b s u r d relief
policies t h a t h a v e be e n p r a c tic e d ,
he re to fo re .
T o go b a c k a bit for a re v ie w , the
relief p r o g r a m e n a c te d r e c e n tly by
c o n g r e s s for the y e a r th a t Is now
s ta r t i n g specified th a t all WPA
w o r k e r s m u s t put in 130 hours p e r
m o n th in o r d e r to get the m a x i m u m
g o v e r n m e n t relief. It w a s included
by c o n g r e s s as a p a r t of the law
upon r e c o m m e n d a tio n by WPA
C o m m is s io n e r F. C. H a rrin g to n , and
no r ig h t thinking p e rso n s c a n find
r e a s o n to d isa g re e . T he p u rp o se is
m o s t c o m m e n d a to r y . T he in c r e a s e
in th e ho u rs of la b o r w a s desig n e d
to w eed out those who w e r e r e c e i v
ing WPA checks who w e r e satisfied
to go on w ithout any th o u g h t of
e v e r o b ta in in g a p r iv a te Job again.
T h e r e is th a t type, you know.
Congress Sought to Set U p
A n Honest Distribution
T h e r u le s th a t e x p ir e d J u n e 30 had
m a d e it possible for so m e w o r k e r s
to r e c e iv e the m a x i m u m p a y in as
little as two w eeks of work. Skilled
w o r k e r s w e re being paid w a ge s th a t
w e r e e q u iv a le n t to the r a t e s in p r i
v a t e e m p lo y m e n t in the a r e a w h e re
th e y w ere. So. so m e w o rk e rs sta y e d
on the job two w eeks and had the ir
m o n t h 's p a y : o th e rs w orked longer
a n d w e r e paid m u c h less. C ongress,
th e r e f o r e , trie d to set up so m e th in g
like a n honest d istrib u tio n and it
d ir e c t e d th a t e v e ry b o d y rec e iv in g
t h e WPA c hecks had to w ork 130
h o u r s in o r d e r to re c e iv e the full
a m o u n t.
T h e r e w e re so m e o th e r provisions,
too, t h a t irk e d the WPA w orkers.
O n e of th e m , for in sta n c e , m a k e s it
n e c e s s a r y for thc#e who h a v e been
on W PA relief Jobs for 18 m onths,
to ta k e a layoff of one m onth. T h a t
w a s d e sig n e d to g ive s o m e oth e r
u n e m p lo y e d p e rso n a c h a n c e to get
W PA r e lie f
T he th ird big c h a n g e fro m last
y e a r a n d the e a r lie r y e a r s of f e d
e r a l relief w as a specification as to
w ages
T he legal la n g u a g e is too
c o m p le x for m e to u n d e r s ta n d , t h o r
o u g h ly . but the intention is to m a k e
th e r a t e s of WPA w a g e s h a v e so m e
r e la tio n s h ip to the cost of living
r.ASi'ADK
I (H K s
IIIIIOMI II
A Barrel of Joy
I’AUK T l l l t K M
AROUND
*. HOUSE
f e S fl,emi of ln,ere$'
To
Brighten
Alum inum . —T o J
k e e p a l u m i n u m b r i g h t t u b it w ith
any of t h e a c i d f r u it j u i c e s s u c h
a s l e m o n o r r h u b a r b , o r let it
s t a n d in a r a t h e r strong s o lu tio n
fo r o n e - h a lf h o u r .
• • •
| nc
Underripe
Fruit. — W h e n
m a k i n g j e l l i e s d o n o t f o r g e t to u s e
fru its an d b e r r ie s u n d e rrip e r a t h
e r t h a n o v e r r i p e , fo r b e t t e r c o n
s i s t e n c y a n d fla v o r.
Treating Tile F loors. —A b r a s i v e s
o r b l e a c h e s h ave a t e n d e n c y to
r o u g h e n t h e s u r f a c e of a tile d floor
to t h e p o in t w h e r e it b e c o m e s
d irty so o n er
F o r g l a r e d tile o n
flie rs , u se plain s o a p an d w a te r .
U n g l a z e d tile m a y b e w a x e d a n d
p o lis h e d
Kooe-fkd
• • •
w here the u n em ployed a r e given
WPA Jobs.
B u s t proofing T m w are. —T i n w a r e
T h e se things a r e in the law. this
w ill n e v e r r u s t w h e n p u t in w a t e r
tim e. In p re v io u s y e a r s , co n g re ss
if. w h e n it is n e w , it is w e ll r u b b e d
had been una b le to b r e a k the g rip of
w ith l a r d a n d th o r o u g h l y h e a t e d in
the professional re lie v e rs, like H a r
th e o v e n .
ry Hopkins and A ubrey Williams,
and the r a t e s of pay a n d conditions
Keep in g M e a t F r e s h . — Vmegai
He a vy \\ d h F r u i t
of w ork w e r e d e te r m in e d la rg e ly by
rubbed over r a w meat w ill keep
T h e b o u g h s t h a t b r u r m o s t hang
such m en. Mr W illiams will be r e
it fresh.
| lo w e s t.
called as the m a n who sa id in a
Life begins in a b a r r e l. H e r e 's the
speech to WPA w o rk e rs they should la te st in f u r n itu r e for the new born
use th e ir n u m e r ic a l s tr e n g th politi baby. A St. Louis hospital is dis
cally and su p p o rt only those oftl
playing the low-cost c rib p ic tu re d
cials who tu rn e d loose the m ost above. I t's m a d e from an o rd in a ry
m oney. U n d e r the p re vious sy ste m , b a r r e l and costs only 60 ce n ts plus
the WPA w o rk e rs could a tta c k rules a little work.
and re g u la tio n s laid down by indi
viduals. But now Mr. Hopkins and
Mr. W illiam s a r e not in the picture, a nyone w ith a g r a in of se n se m u s t
and a hard-boiled a r m y officer recognize it. th e se self-appointed,
h e a d s up the WPA o rganization.
self a n n o m te d s a v io rs of the WPA
w o rk e rs did su c c e e d in calling
Strike Against Governm ent
som e th in g like 40,(XK) w o rk e rs off of
Is W hat Confronts Country
th e ir Jobs in v a rio u s p a r ts of the
T he condition tha t c onfronts the c ountry. T he re sult w as th a t those
c ountry, th e re fo re , is a strik e w o rk e rs lost ju st th a t m u c h m oney.
a g a in s t the na tiona l g o v e rn m e n t, b e They also ra n afoul of the H a r r i n g
c a u se the elected r e p r e s e n ta tiv e s of ton d e te r m in a tio n , which m a n y of
the people as a whole laid down the th e m did not realize w as not u H op
rules, this tim e. Of course, the C on kins or W illiam s chin. Colonel H a r
stitution g u a r a n te e s to all citizens rington p r o m p tly issued o r d e r s tha t
ONLY KELLOGG'S give
the r ig h t to pe tition congress.
It those who sta y e d a w a y five d a y s
y o u th e w orld fa m o u s fla v o r
does not g r a n t the right, how ever, would be re p la c e d , b e c a u se th e re
w h ic h h a s m a d e th e s e c r is p ,
to use fo rc e or violence to c h a n g e w e re th o u sa n d s willing to work and
golden brown Hakes the largest-
the action of c ongress. T he WPA had no jobs Obviously, th a t b ro u g h t
w o rk e rs who w ent out on strike, a good m a n y back to th e ir Jobs.
selling ready to eat cereal in the
th e re fo re , in m y opinion, w e r e right Som e others, how ever, let the ir p a s
w
orld!
close to the b o r d e r line of a se rious sion and unw ise le a d e rsh ip of th e ir
offense a g a in s t the g o v e rn m e n t. It unions put th e m in a position of
ONLY KELLOGG'S come
is one thing to strik e , as a union cu ttin g off th e ir nose to spite th e ir
to you in the exclusive, new tyj**
does, a g a in s t an e m p lo y e r ; it is face.
inner w rap which protect* fresh
It is to be noted, in passing, th a t
q u ite a n o th e r thing for a union to
ness
and flavor in a way » t u t
conditions
now
a
r
e
so
m
e
w
h
a
t
d
iffe
r
be o rg a n iz e d to p e r p e tu a te g o v e r n
before possible/
m e n t c h a r ity a n d to use th a t union ent than when the policies of the
in a violent fashion as h a s been done profe ssio n a l re lie v e r s w e re o p e r a
tive th ro u g h o u t the country. T h e re
in this instance.
C o t »f 19.19 |ry K ello g g C o il
w e re n u m e r o u s insta nc e s, it will be
And. sp e a k in g of unions, th e r e a r e
recalled, when Hopkins and Miss
two of t h e m —riv a l o r g a n iz a tio n s — P e rk in s, s e c r e ta r y of labor, a dvise d
^
SAY KELLOGGS BEFORE
a m o n g WPA w o rk e rs T h e r e is the th a t s it d o w n s tr ik e r s should be fed
YOU SAY CORN FLAKES
W orkers A lliance of A m e r ic a and off of relief funds. S ta te relief d i
the W o rk e rs L e a g u e of the U nited re c to r s and s ta te c h a r ity le a d e r s
States. T he first n a m e d is he a d e d s e e m g e n e ra lly to h a v e ta k e n a d if
by D avid L a s s c e r and the second by fe re n t view of the c u r r e n t situation.
Lloyd Leith. I do not know the b a c k
ground of e ith e r m a n . w h e re they Seems T here A re Some V ery
c a m e f r o m or w ha t th e ir m ission Stupid Local Labor Leaders
in life m a y be. Of this, how ever, I
T he n a tio n a l labor unions, like the
a m su re : v e ry few m e n and w om en A m e r ic a n F e d e r a tio n of L a b o r and
in this w orld of ours e v e r w ork for the Lew is o rga niz a tion, the C. I. O.,
absolutely no pay.
c a m e close to g e ttin g involved In
I wish th a t c o n g re ss would dig this picture. I do not know w h e th e r
into those two o rg a n iz a tio n s nnd see the h e a d s of those g r e a t unions w e r e
how m u c h th e se ' ‘le a d e r s ” a r e pnid re sponsible for the g e n e r a l a loof
and find out w h e re the m on e y c o m e s ness. but they w e re quick to explain
from . It is difficult for m e to b e th a t strik e s by any of th e ir m e m b e r -
lieve th a t e ith e r one of th e m or the org a n iz a tio n s in b ehalf of the WPA
se v e r a l dozen "field m e n " and s e c w o rk e rs w e re "e n tir e ly locul.” If
r e ta r ie s and o th e rs w ith titles a r e this be true, the e x p la n a tio n lies in
such lo v e rs of h u m a n ity th a t they the fa c t th a t th e re m u s t be s o m e
a r e not being well paid for th e ir v e ry stupid local Inbor le a d e r s
work. To believe th a t th e se m e n Surely, with union la b o r 's p r e s tig e
a r e e m u la tin g O u r L ord to th a t e x a t its lowest ebb in m a n y y e a r s , r e
tent is s tr e tc h in g m y c re d u lity too sp e c ta b le la b o r unions could h a r d ly
expect to gain in public e s te e m by
far.
p a r tic ip a tin g in such ludicrous p r o
W hy Is a Union Necessary
ce e d in g s as a s trik e a g a in s t the g o v
e r n m e n t of the U nited States
Am ong These W o rk ers?
N o tw ith sta n d in g
the
gloomy
One m ig h t also inquire q u ite p r o p
erly. I think, w hy it is n e c e s s a r y to p h a se s of the sto ry told above, a t
h a v e a union a m o n g th e se w orkers. tention should be d r a w n the m e a n
I fail to see why they should s p a r e while to the h e a lth y a s p e c t th a t c a n
any of the m e a g e r fu n d s th a t the be found upon e x a m in a tio n of the
g o v e r n m e n t gives th e m for living c ir c u m s ta n c e . C onside r the c o u r a g e
pu rp o se s to be used by union le a d th a t c o n g re ss show ed In ta k in g a
ers. T hose fellows c a n n o t do a n y position which a d m its the e x iste n c e
thing to m a k e c o n g r e s s c h a n g e its of c e r ta in p a r a s itic e le m e n ts T h a t
W ! * n your car is met lunu ally in order
m in d O h ' T hey can c o m e to W a sh Is to say. c o n g r e s s h a s ta k e n a p o si
and
Quaker State is in tfie crankcase. ..then
ington — a n d th e y do — a n d issue tive ste p to w a rd placing relief on a
you
are a carefree motorist. For (Quaker
s t a te m e n ts and shout t h r e a t s before basis th a t will r e d u c e w aste, to so m e
e
x
t
e
n
t
It
ha
s
m
a
d
e
so
m
e
g
a
in
s
In
Stale Motor Oil is p u rr. . .a rid free. lia h
c o n g re ssio n a l c o m m itte e s and see
the direcU on of sw eeping out a s m a ll
th e ir n a m e s in the n e w sp a p e rs, and
drop u scrupulously refined to j*rovule you
p a r t —v e ry sm a ll, it is tru e —of the
a c c o m p lish nothing
T h a t is. they
with rub, fieat resistant lubei<anf. Make
1 political influences th a t h ith e r to op-
get now h e re e x c e p t th a t they a r e
I e r a te d
And. m o r e im p o r ta n t th a n
A r id -T r e e (Quaker S la te your choice.
able to show the poor, w re tc h e d
the r e s t the c o n g r e s s over P re si-
Your car will run better, Last longer. (Quaker
souls on re lie f th a t th e ir " l e a d e r s ” ' dent R oosovelt's opposition, ha s a c t
S«ate Oil Refining Cocp., Oil Cary, FVnna.
a r e g r e a t " f ig h te r s ” in the c a u se
ed to c o m p e l g r e a t e r local re sp o n si
While th e r e n e v e r w a s a c h a n c e bility for use of public money.
of c o n g re ss a m e n d in g the law and
by W e s te r n
l iu u * | i
MEANS CAREFREE DR
It Will Fay You to Patronize Advertisers of This Paper and to Confine Your
Buying to Local Merchants as Nearly as Possible
............. ■