Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-17
KARL DE SCHWEINITZ
IJncmplOyment and Its Mental Effects


TNIIE evil effects Of a period of unemploy-
mcnt on the poor of great clty lke
pbiladrIphin are always felt for months
after the community has returned to state
of commercial prosperity. SAYS Nnrl ue
SrhwrinitZ general secretary of the Socl"tF
for Organizing Charity.
.'rhat this is universally the case SAID
Mr.. de- Srhw"initz. "haS been proved pF
every period of severe commercial depression
which this country has experienced since the
records began to be carefully kept and tabu-
lntcd. Take for example. the severe de-
uression of 1901 -0S The low point was
reached in the months of February ana
March Of the latter year. bur the expenses
of thc relief societies were fully MS high in
1000 rs they were in the time of the most
acute depression and the greatest amount
Of unemployment.
Just Before the War
''rhe same thing was experienced in the
rrrot depression of 1911. The worst period
of this long stretch of unemployment was
before the middle of the year, but despite
this fact the year 1919 was the biggest year
of our society, and. undoubtedly, had 1t not
been for the period Of eXtrrm" prosperity to
the workingmcn brought about by the war,
1916 would have been just as big a year for
the relief societies.
.In 1921. according to Babson's figures.
the low point in the depression was reached
in the first half Of the year, but in the
months of June, July, August and Septem-
her of 1922 we actually received more appli-
cations for assistance than during the cor
responding months of the year of the depr"S
sion. In actual figures there were Cos
nuulications in the four months of 1921 and
ri in the same months Of this year. In
cash expenditures "" gave Mt least $1,000
more in these months in 1922 than we did
in 1921. and this i only tn" actual money
given to needy cases, the other relief being
in addition to tins
"Thcse figures are typical Of such period.
Descrton and sickness are the two great
rn,Iscs of the increase, and for this year the
assertion cases showed an increase of 20
Der cent and the cases of sickness an in
crease of - per cent.
Mental Effects of Unemployment
"unny Of the dcscrtion cases nrc brought
ohout nv the mental effects of even a molcr-
ntolv long period of unemployment. 1t in
yariably brings tremendous amount Of
anxiety, worry and general mrnta! disturb
uucc The nervous strain of being out Of n
lob is very great, and II family whose brend-
winners are out of work begins 10 run
down rapidly physically, because their food
is always the first place in which they pruc-
ticr the economy which is necessary
,.'rhr second place in which such "A famiIv
cconomizes is in its living quarters. and this
resillts in several of such families living
where only one lived before, thus producing
an extremely insnnitary condition with II
resultant deterioration, both mental and
physical
..Thesc conditions can result ultimately
in only one way. The mHnutriton the
rrowdinr and the mental strain soon reduce
thc vitality of the family. making the con.
traction Of disease very much easier
Where Deseitions Come
az the same time all these factors mako
for n general rritability in family life, and
littlc things which would scarcely be noticed
IN normal times, when the workers Of thn
family are steadily employed, are magnifod
into great wrongs. In many cases this snon
brings about the disintegration of the family
md oftcn leads to desertion. So these con-
ditions resulting from lack Of work are re-
snnnsible for the greatest number Of appli
cations to the relief societies.
"Lct me cite a typical example Of how
this works out. A certain young man was
married in 1917, when times were prosper
ous. and in three years there We're two rhil.
drcn as well ns his wife to support. AT tho
close of 1920, when the industrial deprcs.
sion began to get severe, he lost his position
through no fault Of his own and went to n
| town in New Jersey to take n tempororv
| place, leaving his family here.
.From the beginning of 1921 to 1920 woO
| n very hard period, but in the enrly part nf
| This year he came back. The reoction
| toward better business had not started md
| he was TOO early and could not get n nos1
| ton. I'm March he borrowed some MONEY