Evening journal., 1921-11-14
TO MAKE SURVEY
TO FIND idle
Emergency Relief Commit
tee Wants to Know Exact
Situation
31OO REGISTER FOR
WORK; 800 PLACED

A complete survey Of the city to
determine the extent OF unemploy-
ment generally and the number OF
families needing public assistance
specifically. was determined upon at
a meeting today OF the Emergency
Relief Committee. appointed decent
ly by Mayor Harvey.
The committee held a session last
ing more than an hour in the direc-
tors room OF the Chamber OF Com
merce, beginning at 11.30 o'clock.
Another meeting will be held within
week on call of the chairman, Col.
George A. Elliott
Those present at today's meeting
were Colonel Elliott, John S. Ros-
sell. Henry p. Scott. Otho Nowland.
Robert p. Robinson. John Richard
son. Jr.. II. Fletcher Brown, r. l..
Dunham and Mayor Harvey. who is
a member ex-oncio. other mem
bers Of the committee who were out
OF the city or otherwise unable to
/ be present were former Mayor Will
Liam G.. Taylor. A. +. Creighton for
mer Governor Charles r. Miller DR..
/ Willard Springer Lamotte dupont,
! Horace Wilson, Thomas r. Bayard
and Benjamin r. Shaw. II Is prob
able. Colonel Elliott stated, he will
name additional members.
DR.. Joseph II. Odell. director OF
I the Service Citizens and OF the Pub
lie Employment Service, and Miss B.
Ethelda Mullen, executive secretary
OF the Associated Charities. met with
the committee. and gave estimates OF
the number OF persons in the city
they regard as In actual want.
They agreed that apparently 5000
bread-winners in the city are withoul
employment. Doctor Odeli said the
Public Employment Bureau, which
Is located in the old City Hall, Mar
net street above Fifth. had regis.
tered approximately 1900 men and
500 women, and had found work foi
$50 men and 219 women. Ninety.
eight per cent. OF those registered
he further said. were citizens oI
either Wilmington or Delaware. TIL
number Of "hoaters," or drifting
workmen, out Of jobs was small.
Doctor Odell further said that II
some cases the situation was mos
desperate. Men would apply at tn,
employment bureau early in thl
morning ne said. some OF them evi
IDENTIFY without having had an!
breakfast, or at best a scanty meal
and would walt IN the building al
day. apparently TO keep warm an,
IN the hope Of obtaining occupation
, There were very few foreigner
, and few skilled mechanics. register
r ed, DIT. Odeil said. adding that
D. was with dihculty the bureau wa
Z able to find real mechinists, plumb
> ers and carpenters.
Miss Mullen reported that the As
ISOLATED Charities during Octobe
had taken care of 800 families.
these families were no fewer tina
J 755 children under the age Of -four
teen. The organization, she furthe
said. lists the names Of SO men read
and able to work. She said ther
. were numerous cases OF severe dis
q tress and there was mal-nutritior
. especially among the young chil
! dren.
Before beginning a campaign
raise funds to relieve these cond
= tions. Colonel Elliott's committe
decided II would be better to get int
touch with all charitable organiza
tions OF the city and obtain as az
curate report as possible on II
situation.
William T. Budd. secretary OF III
= Chamber OF Commerce. acted as ten
porary secretary for the Emergenc
y Relief Committee today. A pc
I. manent secretary probably will
J, named at the next meeting.
The Public Employment Burea
up to o'clock this afternoon, ha
y registered 4 men as applicants Il
= work. referred 1s and placed fou
y OF the men placed three were ca
penters and one was a painter.
In the women's division, 23 al
plicants were registered and 26 wei
referred. Ten women were place
in occupations OF these sevs
we're domestics and three we
- clerical workers. A call was r
ceived for two young girls to woi
n in a cigar box mandatory.