Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-19
MILLIONS AVAILABLE
IN COUNCILS HANDS
TO AID UNEMPLOYED
Restrictions Created by City's
Lawmakers Can Be Re-
scinded by Legislation Of
Same Agency.

Locked up in the City Treasury, SO se-
curely that nothing short OF legislation
can release dollar Of II, is nearly
S13, ,OOO 600, which, II available or even
portion of It, would solve the present
problem OF the unemployed in less than
fortnight. About s40O0.00 OF this sum is
from the appropriations in the last bud
get for the maintenance OF city properties
and for the construction OF highways.
sewers and other municipal work.
Today the Directors OF the several city
departments were asked what they could
do in the way OF making available funds
to give work to the hundreds who are
clamoring for work, not help. and, without
exception, they all said they could not do
n thing and expressed both the wish that
they could and their realization OF cur
rent needs.
One item alone, II released. would AFFORD
immediate relief and could be put in
circulation by Saturday night. That 10
the s650,0OO set aside for the building of
highways but 1t is so restricted as to he
available only at the rate OF one-twelfth
each month. Director Cooke said today
that Councils always restrict the expen-
diture Of large funds, but he thought as
they created the restrictions, they could
remove them. For bridge maintenance
$4,000 is available; 100000 is available
for maintenance and labor in the Water
Department. In the other departments.
MS well as in that Of Public Works, build
ings are to be repaired, painted. kept in
condition or altered. Plenty OF money
has been appropriated for the expense.
In the Police Department, policemen
act as artisans, and the Same is true Of
the Fire Department.
1t is a conservative estimate, obtained
officially, that the city now has funds
approximating S4OOO.OOO that may be put
in circulation for relief of unemployment
II Councils will act.
The 100000 not accounted for as yet
Is fund that was unearthed a short
time ago and consists OF remainders Of
many funds that have been left unex-
pended and have accumulated to this
large amount.
In few days committees OF the Paint
, ers Union and kindred organizations be-
longing to the Allied Building Trades will
present to Mayor Blankenburg petition
asking that the City Treasury be "un-
locked" and work furnished for needy
skilled workmen whose wives and chill
dren are now short of food. At its last
meeting the Central Labor Union passed
resolutions indorsing the views of the
painters, and will support them in petit
tioning the Mayor. The petition will be
supplied in duplicate to all of the heads
of departments and to the clergymen of
the city, who will be urged to begin now
all contemplated work in the way OF
church building and repairing. The city
Is urged to hasten all work contemplated
on hospitals and charitable institutions.
Attention will be called in the petition
to the fact that the city has recently
spent large sums in the purchase OF new
properties to make way for the Parkway.
and the petitioners will recite that they
believe the remainder OF considerable
sum is available for relief.