The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-09-03
IN TURMOIL
over D0LES TO IDLE
failing Of Borough Officials
for Refusing to Levy Taxes
Reveals Amazing Status.
MENACE FOR TAXPAYERS
Unemployed in Some Parts Get
Full Pay: Others Raid Work
houses and Buildings.

houses and Buildings.
Special Cable to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1921. By THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
London, Sept. 2.
Is London already communistic?
The question is being seriously asked
in view of the recent developments in
the doles for the unemployed. The
poor law guardians have certain free
powers to give what relief they deem
wise and local authorities must then
levy taxes to meet the demands. Some
of the poor law guardians in dis
tricts where there is labor. and pos
sibly Communist majority, are COM
ing. just as near as they dare, to the
principle that the community must
pay full wages whether the people
work or not.
AS a result one set of local authori-
ties-the Mayor, Aldermen and Coun-
cillors--of Poplar were put in Jail yes
terday because they refused to levy
the rates required by the general Lon
don county authorities for asylums,
police. &C., while in half a dozen other
boroughs - Hammersmith. Stratford,
Leyton. walthamstow, Shoreditch, Hol-
born and Islington-the unemployed,
under suspiciously efficient organiza-
tons, are demanding an unprecedented
scale of doles and the local authorities
are on the verge of granting them.
Aside from indirect excuses and ma
tional income and other national taxes
there are taxes for local purposes. such
as fire protection. police, school. charity
and health, raised by the assessment OF
SO many pence per pound sterling OF an
nual rental value of property rather than
on the fixed capital value as In the
United states.
Typical Case mt IslingtOn.
Atypical instance of what the rent
PAYERS are facing is In Islington, where
the unemployed are demanding and the
guardians are preparing to grant, under
certain reservations, the following scale
OF relief for the unemployed
Twelve shillings six pence for mar
ried man. the same for his wife. and
Ave shillings for each child under 16
wears OF age. and also a hundredweight
Of coal and rent. For unmarried men
and women Il each. The first payment
under this scale began to-day and the
disbursing officers were unable to handle
all the cases presented. They admit that
they paid many cases without invesu-
cation, declaring that they Will investl-
gate next week When asked what he
thought the new policy would cost the
borough one official replied:
IL cannot say yet. but 1t will evil
IDENTIFY be $4,000 the first week what
this means will be understood when IL
is stated that an assessment OF one
penny for every f1 of rent paid AT
Islington brings in only $1,000 a year
Since the Labor party took control OF
Islington borough the councils, expendi-
lures increased from f104.S64 TO
f2s1.s61. and the rates from five shil-
lings and six pence pound TO nine
shllings and ten pence. The latter rate
means that local renters must pay nearly
so per cent. of their rent In local taxes
in addition to income taxes ana all
general taxes. IL must be said that the
property owning and renting community
showed every willingness TO bear the
burden during the times OF depression
through which England has passed re-
Gently. but now that there are signs OF
revival OF INDUSTRY there are also signs
that some people would rather enjoy
this ample relief and not work than
uarls for reduced wages
Courts Oner No Redress.
II IL this tendency which has prompted
a vigorous campaign against the Labor
Party's policy. The Poplar councillors
carried the case 20 the highest courts,
demanding a genera, equalization OF
taxes IN London so the richer boroughs
would be compelled TO bear part Of the
burden OF the unemployment doles cara
ried by the more populous and poorer
labor class communities. That appeal
was denied and they were ordered 10
levy tax in order to meet the general
London county expenses. This they
refused TO do and contempt commit
ment followed. The order was carried
out In the case Of the men members
last night.
The Times during the week charac-
terized the situation as follows: IF
at a time like this Socialist bodies are
TO be allowed 10 experiment at VIII
In sheer communism there must inevi-
tabiy be criminal waste and fierce dis
content and In tho long run chaos"
Woolwich borough Is probably the
worst off as there are 900 TO 900 men
being laid off daily by the Government
arsenal and dockyard. Thousands OF
men moved to this borough during the
war because OF the abundance OF work
there and now they arc stranded. But
as these men are strangers the bulk
OF the political power rests with the
local shopkeepcrs. They are now faced
with demands for relief. which would
cost $4,000 10 c35.0o0 a week.
The shopkcepsrs also are faced with
this dilemma: IL they grant the de-
mands their own taxes will rise to the
point where all profit will be wiped out
and II they refuse the demands they
won't have any more trade. II is also
Couftvued nm Third pnos