"When you talk about war on poverty it doesn't mean very much; but if you can show to some degree this sort of thing then you can show a great deal more of how people are living and a very great percentage of our people today"

In this quote, Ben Shahn is revealing his belief that simply talking about the idea of a "war on hardship" is not enough to really understand the battles and realities of those living in poverty. He argues that it is only by providing concrete examples and proof of the conditions in which individuals are living that we can really grasp the level of poverty in our society. By doing so, we can acquire a deeper understanding of the challenges dealt with by a big portion of the population. Shahn's words function as a tip that we should not only speak about hardship, but also take action to address it and improve the lives of those impacted by it.