New-York tribune., 1914-11-16
BRUERE TO FIGHT
IDLENESS DISEASE
Asks Help of Business and
Industrial Leaders on
Unemployment.
MAYOR MAY APPOINT
LOCAL COM MITTEE
Chamberlain Also Suggests Wei.
fare Department with Bu-
reau of Poverty.

Unemployment, described by City
Chamberlain Bruere as chronic under
present conditions of industrial or
ganization and as much factor in our
economic life as disease, is made by
him the subject Of tentative propo-
sci for submission to preliminary
conference called by Commissioner
kingsbury Of the Charities Depart
ment and for the consideration Of the
Mayor.
Early in September conference of
experts on questions Of public relief
was called to consider needs and plans
for cooperation for 19l4-15. Otto 7.
Barnard was chairman, and, after sew
era! meetings, Mr.. Bruere was re-
quested to formulate in writing a plan
he had outlined
"The major element of the pro-
gramme suggested" says Mr.. Bruere,
"is to deal with the problem not as
n problem of relief or one calling for
philanthropic action, but as a problem
Of business and industry, for consid-
Grafton and action by those who are
the dominant forces in our American
industrial life
The City Chamberlain refers to two
eXpedents which European practice
has worked out-the organization Of
employment exchanges and the provl-
sion of system of unemployment in
surance. He says the municipal free
employment bureau has been in sue
cessful operation for nine months, but
that, so tar as IS known, not even pre-
liminary work has been done in this
state to lay the basis for public con-
sideration Of unemployment insurance.
HIS programme, which he proposes the
city undertake this winter, has these
four principal subdivisions:
Collecting facts regarding the ex-
tent and character of unemployment
in New York City and obtaining ad-
ditional facts in respect thereof.
Bringing about intelligent consider
alton by industries and business es-
adjustments Of means of preventing
periodic unemployment.
Working out system Of labor ex-
changes city, state and federal-on
the basis of beginnings made in the
state and city and the Investigations
of the Federal Industrial Relations
Commission
Organizing promptly special emer-
gcncy activities 20 care for those who
are unemployed owing to no condition
heretofore stated, but to an eXtraor-
dinary depression brought about by
exceptional causes, such as, for eX-
ample, the present war
THE problem Of unemployment in
the CITY of New York for the year
1915" continues SIR Bruere, due to
the war and to general economic con-
ditons, is not unlikely to become the
chief concern Of patriotic New Workers.
Not to deal with this problem with all
the strength. ability and resource Of
the community will be as discreditable
to New York as would have been its
failure to meet the city's maturing
foreign obligations"
1t is proposed that Mayor Mitchell
appoint a strong committee 70 take
charge Of the development and execu-
ton Of the programme. Charles /.
Neill. former Commissioner Of Labor
for the United States, or Mackenzie
King, former Commissioner of Labor
for Canada, is the type OF man Mr..
Bruse would have organize the work.
The agencies the proposal would as
semble in cooperation are certain city,
state and federal departments, public
societies and civic organizations and
manufacturing, banking, railroad and
labor interests. For representatives Of
these agencies, constituting working
conference, measures proposed and pro-
cedure are carefully formulated.
Under the head OF procedure, II Is
proposed that a department of public