The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-02-11
DEMOCRATIC HELP FOR THE UN
EMPLOYED.

ing to-has already set about to
remedy an evil, of which most OF the
European countries, especially Ger
many. has long been far in advance
namely, the problem of the unem-
ployed, and it is to the lasting credit
of the Wilson administration that 1t
has inaugurated the first government
effort ever seriously made in the
United States to deal nationally and
scientifically with this vexed ques-
ton.
The attitude of the government
heretofore, is more easily illustrated
by a cartoon which appeared in a
western paper the other day. In the
upper portion of the cartoon was
shown sick business His nobship
was comfortably disposed in the best
room in the hospital There were
flowers at his elbow and nurses and
doctors in the form of statesmen,
scientists, economists and such sort
were gathered solicitously about him.
And there was a great TODD. The
whole powers of heaven and earth
were being moved to effect his recov-
cry.
Below was sick 1abor'-Mr. Unem-
ployed. He reposed, gaunt and ca
daverous and hollow eyed, on poor
bed in his own bare shack. Beside
him sat visiting nurse, or some
such ministrant, reading to him from
volume entitled "Self Help" 9th
erwise he was alone in his glory
There were no flowers, no medicines
no consultants-nothin but the
reader and the tract.
When anything happens to oul
hogs, or our cattle-the hoof anC
mouth disease, for example-the en-
tire nation is aroused. Government
spares no effort to preserve the life
and health of the live stock.
But when human live stock is suf.
fering from Observation-Disclosures
human lives are going down in star.
walton because there is no work fol
willing hands-the nation, hereto
fore, has discussed theories and poll
cies and remedies, quack and other
wise, but not lifted finger in the
way of direct and needed first aid tc
the injured.
Yet it is the workingman--the
man who with his hands and fol-
small wages produces the raw mater
ial and feeds and operates the mills
and carries the brick and mortar for
buildings-it is on him that our en-
tire civilization rests; on him that
it's stability depends; to him that all
of us more fortunate than he must
look for the comfort and advantages
and security that our own families
enjoy.
Folly more stupendous, selfishness
more heartless and shOrtsighted,
than that which leaves him to paddle
his own canoe, Indifferent to his fate,
it would be difficult to conceive. 1t is
the kind of folly, the kind of ignor-
ance, the kind of sin, that leads al
ways and inevitably to the downfall
of nations and the wreck of civiliZa-
lions.
President Wilson and his admins
tration have had the good sense and
common humanity to take this prob
lem in hand. The creation of great
federal employment bureau, conduct
ed by the department of labor, the
department of agriculture and the
postofiice department, is a step in the
right direction. 1t is only the first
step, it is true--a first step long,
long ways from the goal. But the
important thing is that that first step
is taken. Our government has at last
acknowledged that human stock is as
important as live stock, and that I'M
employed men need aid the same as
unemployed dollars.-St. Joe OBJ