Home Photo Gallery Classroom Documents Dear Mr. Roosevelt: This is to acknowledge your circular letter of some two weeks since and to say in reply that taking your letter in the spirit in which it came I'll be glad to give you the best advice in that regard of which I am capable, trusting that it might be of some help. In regard to the social legislation just passed, naturally I regard it favorably. Some European nations already have this and we certainly needed it. I think that it will solve some of our social problems and is a long step, taken in the right direction, of better democratic ideals. This social legislation certainly fills a need in every locality where I have been. In regard to my own local situation: I am pastor at Baton Rouge near the Standard Oil Company Refinery. Many thousands of working people live in this section, or more correctly over five thousand men work at various industries there. Others live in this section who make their living working in stores or at some business supplying the daily needs of the working man. In my neighborhood there are a great many families on relief. In a small section of a radius of eight blocks of my church there are over one hundred and twenty families whose income is the "relief" and most of these families have several children, ranging in number to eleven and twelve. During the periods when the relief has been shut off, I and neighboring pastors have worked in cooperation with the local relief administrator in helping those who are destitute. I believe, I respect to the relief, that if it is possible for the Federal government to maintain it, it would be helpful if more work were required of those who are on it, with the possibility of higher wages, with the condition that the man who abused it by taking money, needful for groceries for his family and spending it for liquor would be punished. (This or any other abuse). Also, that the ones who are being supported by means of the relief could get their pay promptly. Many of these people live from hand to mouth and if their checks are held up, it means they have to get by the best they can for two or three days, and there may be small children in the home needing food. In this connection I've helped supply food where the are tubercular children going unfed while they waited for the check. One thing more is needful that applies to my locality: the greatest curse there is the open saloon. One man down the street from where I live, an expert mechanic, not able to hold job because of getting drunk, spends his relief money for liquor while his wife and six children, do they best they can for food. Many men who have jobs, being required to meet stiff physical examinations by their companies, lose out because of drinking. I could name many other cases but I'm sure this is no news to you and if government control of the liquor business could be effected, I'm sure it would help. However, personally, I do not see how much good can be accomplished by social legislation until this is done. Trusting this will serve your purpose, Sincerely,
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