Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-03
LABOR AID MEASURE
IS REFERRED TO BOARD
Finance Committee Wants Informa.
tion on Amount of Avail
able Public Work.
ASKS FOR REPORT on MONDAY
Large Delegation Urges Passage OF
Jones Resolution Appropriating
3125,000 for Immediate Work to
Relieved Unemployed Army.

apparently impressed with the needs
Of the small army of unemployed in
Richmond. but desiring first to leari!
how much work the city may have OH
hand for the employment OF between
600 and 700 men, the Finance Com
mittec last night referred the Jones
ordinance to appropriate $4,000 for
Immediate expenditure IN public work,
20 the Administrative Board 1t re-
quested the board to furnish an esti-
mate showing what permanent i'm.
provements can be prosecuted imme-
dtateiy. the number of men that could
be employed, and the time that would
be required to complete the Improve
mcnts, and to report back to the COM
o'clock.
The committee also requested the Ad-
ministrative Board. the City Attorney
and the City Auditor to confer con.
cerning the outstanding contracts -.
the new territory at the time OF an.
nexation the legality OF the contracts,
and the city's liability for them. Re
port on the results OF the conference
is to be made at an early date
LARGE DELEGATION
APPEARS IN SUPPORT
The cause OF the UNEMPLOYED was
represented by one OF the largest dele
cations that have ever appeared be-
fore the Finance Committee. Council
man Carter c. Jones. patron Of the
ordinance. outlined in brief the needs
OF several hundred families. who. he
said, were absolutely unable to secure
employment. and was followed by sew
eral labor leaders and others Droini-
ncnt In labor circles who urged that
IT was not charity that was needed. but
work, which. I'm their opinion. the city
Is well able to supply.
President IL, D.> >-jJ sop Of tf,o
Federation of Labor. said that the me
chanics and machin:sts were in a POSI-
ton of unusual want, that men who
usually earned SO day are now not
earning a single dollar for the support
of their families and that IS per cent
were working at their trade only
twenty-seven hours week Rich
mond is not the only city suffering, he
said. In Atlanta 400 families arc living
In tents supplied by the militia. and
10000 men In Birmingham are without
employments Here. he said, the Loco
!shUp.5 of, III q 9fesa pea Q nn.I Ohio and
of the Southern Railway arc working
only twcnty-seven hours n week.
Other trades and industries. he said.
arc practically mt standstill. and the
situation is SO bad that many skilled
worknen arc working shorter hours in
order to give their less fortunate com
radcs an opportunity to earn little
of their daily bread
NO TIME TO SaUABBLE
OVER ECONOMIC PRINCIPLE
DR. James Buchanan. OF the Associ-
ated Charities. stated that 5000 heads
OF families were out OF employment.
and that the situation was the worst
he had known in his experience. The
step advocated by Mr.. Jones might be,
considered paternalistic, nc said. but
n
economic principle and allow children
TO starre. If aid is not Eivcn said DR..
buchanan. the time will come when
the workinEman will not ask for en-
pioyment. but SO regulate conditions
that no man willing to work will be
aiiowed to starvc. He told the COM
Inittee that men who have in ordinary
times earned SO a day are now saving
wood at 1912 cents an hour
~ is not charity that is needed"
declared Dr. Buchanan, but fair
days work at fair days wage"
Rev. w. ~. Cooper said that private
enterprise was not adequate to meet
the need. and that the present situa-
tion was one of public concern.
II. L. Colvin told the committee that
the great lack OF employment was hav-
Ing depressing effect on every line
OF Industry. He prophcsied that the
situation would be much worse within
''SsNs ASS p" CShS, dIlu tndI, III all
signs did not fall, this would be the
worst winter in many years. Edward
Reynolds. of the Central Trades and
Labor Council, gave his hearty indorsa-
tion TO the proposed ordinance, and
further support for It was found in a
special message to theN City Council
from Mayor Ainslic. and In a letter
from James r. Dickcrson, clerk in the
Water Department
BECK AND WHITTETT
APPROVE ORDINANCE
President Whttett and Henry p.
Beck. of tho Administrative Board, sup
ported the plan, and said that the city
could afford additional employment In
Its streets and parks. Jacob Umlauf.
former member OF the City Council and
OF the Finance Committed, was no less
sympathetic with the ordinance, and
believed that 100 more men could be
added to the Street Cleaning Depart
ment Mr.. Whittctt said that recently
$50 men had applied for three positions.
and that there were flfty applicants
for every new position created
III the municipal government does
nothing to relieve the situation" de-
clared Mr.. Dawson, In closing, "the
wortingman will devise q way to full
I'll the highest law of nature"
Several members of the committee
said after adjournment that they were
in favor of Mr.. .Jones's plan, and
thought that it would be recommend
ed as soon as the desired information
is obtained.