Evening star., 1921-10-04

now q lone newspaper Hdh SoA"SA
the unemployment problem of Port
land, Oreg., is the story which Is ia
teresting members Of the Presidents
unemployment conference in session
here. OF course, he had help, but the
big idea" was his.
County and city commissioners
there dissolved their committee, and
authorized the establishment OF an
unemployment committee to De con-
Quoted under the auspices of the or
ganizations of world war veterans,
financed by the commissioners ana
directed by Charles b. Rucker, the
newspaper man, who wanted to Apply
common sense to the problem, IN
stead of theories.
A hurried survey disclosed ap-
proximately 1000 breadwinners IN
need Of employment, more than nan
mainder rapidly nearing that condi-
tion. There was but one solution In
the unemployment directors mino-
work, not Charity" and though me.
by assurances ON every hand tnat
there was no work, because u
weather conditions" etc, he imme-
diately set about proving there was
work by finding the work ana lhe
funds with which to pay for IT,, oe-
termined to find both in normal cnan-
nels and at no abnormal cost oi pio-
duction, in which he succeeded.
The unemployment commltaee I'M I'M
mediately announced through tne
daily newspapers and labor press
throughout the nation that Whiie
Oregon would take care or residents
Of other states already within her
gates all others seeking employment
until the return of norma! industrial
conditions. This resulted In immedl-
ately checking the influx of unem- :
ployed, and the committee set about
finding employment for those who
were in dire need of work.
Boy Scouts Aid.
The Boy Scouts. aided by the moral
! support Of the press and the motlon
picture screens, and by the active CO.
oneration of the women's clubs. made
a house to- house canvass or Portland
homes urging every housewife 10
closely scan her house and yaro ZOE d
ypossible job for man or woman ior
an hour, day or a month. A commit
tee from the chamber of commerce
Systematically set about telephoning
every Office, store and Industrial plant
in the city urging similar survey.
This intensive campaign resulted ~
discovering several thousand nours u
Immediate, seasonable employment -
either forgotten. neglected or hereto-
and business men h,;,
The several telephones in the pubic
employment bureau, through Wnich
all employment was handled. KEEP! up
a constant ringing. orders poured IN
for domestics. yard men, carpenters.
interior painters and paperhangers'
factory hands. office help. chauneurs:
truck drivers, clerks and others OF
both sexes. This emergency measure
provided temporary work ior tne
more needy, while the unemploymen'
director set about finding more en-
ployment.
The city commissioners, who had
urged Immediate relief. Thought they
had no work." and "even though tney
had work there were no FUNDS TO pay
for it," they declared. The unemp!oy-
ment tdirector>declined to accept their
gloomy assurances, and proceeded to
disprove them.
Work ON Public Parks.
Portland had many parks and
lbouleyards in their natural state.
The rainy season-even Portland
rainy season-was ideal for clearing
land, grubbing stumps and leVeiing
pulleys and gulches. so the unemploy-
ment director delved into the city
park bureau and there found thou,
boulevard improvements. Ihe-park
commissioner thought 1t Impossible
to do the work in the winter time
without loss Of production" He was
shown his mistake, and ne lmmedl. !.
ately agreed to put a small army or
family men to work on the park sites.
Over 200 family men were taken from
the public welfare bureaus "chari-
ty' list for this work, each provided
with a half-week job. until something
better could be found for them. Sim
liar conditions were found In other
city and county departments, the same
action taken and hundreds OF others
given either half or full-time employ
ment
Finishing his survey Of public en-
then turned his attention to manufac-
turing and other industries. A bridge
crew had been laid off for want OF
lumber. Investigation disclosed that
the mill which had the contract FOR
the lumber had closed down tenn
porarily for winter REPAIRS. thus
causing both mill and bridge crews
to lose the employment of which they
stood in such great need. The mill
owners were persuaded to rorego tne
repairs until a less critical period.
bridge work.
100 Men ON Street Car Work.
The street car company. which had
been granted an increased fare by
the public service commission. to
and repairs" was advised by it's en-
ginecrs that certain work could not
he done in the rainy season. The un-
SPECIAL NOTICES.