The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-02-09
SUNDAY. rngRuARY 9. 1905.
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mc.-kinEslcy.
WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED.

WORK FOR THE UNEMPLOYED.
Helping the unemployed as an Amer
lean problem is periodical; in England
1t Is perpetual. and all sorts of expert
ments have been tried with view TO
finding the true solution, A favorite
device is for the municipality to UNDER
take gone public work which is not
needed, in order that the unemployed
may have a job. This experiment has
been tried through a series of years
in the borough OF West Ham, suburb
OF London, but with results that are
harmful rather than beneficial. il one
may judge by the reports. The expert
ment was first tried in 1926, when
ing. and again in 1889. when the
percentage of unemployment was very
low" and from 1902 till the passage
of the unemployed worknien act of
1906, each winter was deemed severe
enough to warrant relief works. Work
was usually offered for two DAYS at
time. With the result that in the
winter of 1905 the 54S most fortunate
men received twelve days employment
in six months. or two days per month.
1t is hardly necessary to say that the
work done was OF very little value to
the public and the money expended
was largely wasted
The Spectator, from which these
statements are taken, concludes that II
would have been cheaper TO present
the money to the laborers as gift
without going through the Formally OF
paying it TO them as nominal wages
Nor was anything guined in moral
way. for charity employment is char
lty and it cannot be disguised.
but the Spectator says that in the
West Ham case It was more than char
Ivy, In It's net results, In the report of
the inquiry committee it is stated tina
the provision of work under the I'M
employed workmen act in one year
tends rather to encourage reliance unon
the same source in the following wear
'hah TO restore men to independence. >
'Ihese methods comments the Spec-
tator make the borough a great deal
worse than it would have been had
nothing been done. 1t does this in
Two ways. In the first place. it keeos
Inc men relieEe1 unemployed. instead
OF helping them TO find employment.
elsewhere. Regularly as winter comes
round they drift back again to their
oid homes, take up once more their
casual JOBS, and look to making out
thelr miserable livelihood by an occa-
sional wage earned on the relief works
in the second place, this treatment ,e
the unemployed perpetuates and In.
lensifles the worst feature of West
Ham life. That feature is casual labor
There IT is the exception TO have reru-
lar employment. When tho habit OF
casual labor is once established. Il in.
fccts even the more regular kinds Of
labor
me Spectators argument may be
summed up in the single expressio,
that all such devices tend TO make mon
dependent upon the government rather
than upon their own exertions for
support. and such a system encoura ees
and fosters meudcancy and sans man
hood.
In contrast with the West liam pIsn
are the Massachusetts free omployment
offices. which have been in operation
Tor year, the purpose of which, as
the Law declares, is 10 bring together
those who seek employment and those
who desire to employ. Having brouph,
mem together. The states legal runc-
lion and duty in the transaction end,
Ihe two parties must make their own
bargain, !"
Inc total numher of positions actual
y hlled during the Year through this
agency was 1llsO, and there was no
\ charity about 1t. The agency SHINY
acted as medium through which he
anemploSed ana employers of labor
: Wefo brought together. There can be
no two orinions as 10 the relative
merits Of The Two plans, The American
way is best, 50