CALIFORNIA: Campbell's Town

The lure of sunshine has brought California wealth. It has also brought her thousands of families who possess poverty, an old car, and a genial disposition to bask and wait for someone to feed them. Well-stocked with indigents of her own, California has tried unsuccessfully to discourage unwanted guests with hostile police, stingy charitarians, hard-work camps, even jail or embargoes at the State line.

Last week Franklin Roosevelt and the California Senate in Sacramento proposed separate attacks on the problem. The President, studying a report by WPA Administrator Francis Harrington and other U. S. officials, concluded that migration is a national problem now that 300,000 to 400,000 indigents wander the motorways. In the time of living men, said he, such free souls may well be required to take root at a home address (presumably in jail, if they decline to settle elsewhere). He indorsed U. S. legislation and emergency aid which would consist principally of finding jobs for migrants already in California and warning others to stay away.

California's Senate passed and sent to the friendly Assembly a bill authorizing a California Agricultural Exchange, with aid from U. S. credit agencies (RFC, FHA, REA, etc.) to establish "balanced communities" for California reliefers. The Exchange would function as a cooperative, growing crops on common land, processing it in communal factories, selling the produce to its members and in the market. The State's investment would be around $300 for every reliefer shifted from public rolls to cooperative balance.

Originator of the idea was slim, vigorous septuagenarian Vernon Campbell, long associated with California coops. Legislature approved a similar bill two years ago, but ex-Governor Frank F. Merriam killed it with a pocket veto. Busy Mr. Campbell has already organized his Exchange, with a board of directors including top flight Los Angeles bigwigs. Los Angeles Times Editor Ralph Trueblood offered to help, was told to lay low lest he scare off California Democrats. Liberal Publisher Manchester Boddy also was asked to keep quiet, lest he frighten Republicans.

These tactics worked admirably. Last week two Republican Senators sponsored Mr. Campbell's bill, all but seven Senate Republicans voted for it. So did all but two Democrats, after talking it over with Governor Culbert Olson. Happy Mr. Campbell counted on favorable action by the Assembly, Governor Olson and the U. S. lenders without whom the plan cannot work. If all cooperate, Cooperator Campbell's first community for balanced farmers, carpenters, barbers, etc. will rise at Bellflower, about 20 miles south of Los Angeles.