The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-03


 plans will be pushed and the work be- gun at once, MT. Brockman said. He estimates that it will take about two weeks to make a thorough investiga- ton into conditions.
 GREATLY EXAGGERATED
 Our survey will not be confined to any particular class of people" de- clared MT. Brockman. If the Red Cross goes into the matter at all, the whole unemployment situation will be investigated"
 Consensus of opinion at the meeting held at the Southern club yesterday afternoon was that the situation had been greatly exag- Serated. All declared nothing should be done without concrete evidence of the need of assistance. Thirty three men prominent in
 civic work were present at the luncheon. Colonel Smith presided. Sol Caheen urged that the real facfs be laid before the people. The ma Jority of citizens are somewhat skep- tical a s to the hardships being suf- fered in the district, he dclard Lit tie sympathy will be shown until ia : vestigation of conditions is made, ne said.
 Action was taken by the meeting when F. M. Jackson moved that the Red Cross be asked to make a survey of conditions He was seconded by Sol Caheen and the motion carried unani- mously.
 BITTNER PROPAGANDA
 "The horrible picture now be- ing painted of thousands out of
 work and starving is nothing more nor less than Van Bittner propa- ganda," declared Henry DeBardeIe- ben. "i don't think we should iis- ten to these arguments until il fair, impartial survey of conditions has been made. Of course, individual chses of distress will be taken care or just as heretofore. Let have the facts, not mere wild rumOrs"
 MT. DeBardeleben stated that compa- nies in which he was interested were giving men two days work week and storing the product of their labor.
 Thornton Estes declared that he was unable to find any cases where people were actually starving after a trip taken to Bradford, Blue Creek, New castle and Lewisburg. He said it was hls opinion that the suffering repor6- ed is uncalled for. Many of the men are unwilling to work for wages less than those paid during the war period. T am not in favor of helping people who won't work" Mr. Estes declared
 WORK ON FARMS
 0. l.. Bunn. general manager Of of the Chamber of Commerce, said relief through farm employment was offered to the men now out of work. He referred to n telephone conversation with the commissions CT of agriculture, M. c. AlIgOOd, during the course of which Mir. All good declared he could place those who wanted work on farms in south Alabama.
 Morris w. Bush said the number actually out of work should be in vestigased. He declared that as much charity work as possible was now be- ing done by corporations of the district, who were keeping men at work when conditions did not warrant it.
 He urged the city, county and state to get busy on road work to give eni- ployment to those wiling to work. He attributed some hardships to the fact that men were unwilling to work for less wages than they were paid during the war
 Brig. l.. M. Simonson of the Salvation Army said he thought the situation Sc rious. He told his experiences with families in the district who were prac- tically destitute
 WANT WAR WAGES
 K. A. Porter said his observation had been that the men did not take the attitude of wanting to work unless they received wages as high as those paid during the war and postwar pe- r1od. He asserted the situation should De investigated, with central place TOT appeals to come. Actual suffer4nr was minimized by him.
 pr walter s Brown of the city well fare department, discussed the unem- ployment situation as he has come in contact with it. He said there were two classes of unemployed; one, per sons sent to the mines to work now coming back, the other farm labor from south Alabama who have lost their Jobs in the Birmingham district.
 He suggested that these men be asked to take jobs on the farms of the state which are now practically deserted. He cited several instances of farmers who want men now. Dr. Brown warned against helping too much. He said there is such a thing as helping until the individual is crippled and becomes in effect a pauper.
 SALVATION ARMY
 Dr. John MacSporran, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, declared that in his opinion emergency eiier and permanent relief were necessary. One could be accomplished through the salvation Army he declared, while the other could be best handled by the Rel Cross. F. M. Jackson declared he was giv- ing work to all who asked for it when F was possible. He declared himself opposed to helping persons who would not work.
 pr. J. E. billiard of the Southside Baptlst church declared that the situa