Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-12
ENGLAND NOW AROUSED
BY MILLION JOBLESS
With Men and Women Walking Streets
AimIessIy Means Are Sought to
Combat Evil Conditions.

arc miners who are not likely 10 see Jne
coal face again.
Enumeration to the British Colonies
is seriously being agitated as q solution
10 England's woes. Unemployed now
are being advised of the advantages 10
be gained through this system.
Ii is largely a question OF pSychol-
ogy. except that the British worker Is
unwilling to chance life in very re-
mote rural parts of the world when
he has been so accustomed to urban
amenities at home TheaterS, cinemaS,
clubs and all the rest of 1t are part
and parcel of his habits at preSer-
and he knows he must forego most OF
them if he becomes a land worker in
the dominionS. And it is only land
workers they want. Then, he is some
what afraid Of the severe climatic con-
dltionS abroad, too,
Another factor which initiates
against emigration from England is the
industrial training Of the worker. Inc
cry from Australia and Canada Is al
WAYS for land workers. and the unen1-
ploved of Britain are predominantly
coal miners and skilled craftsmen. Ell
forts are being made Just now 10 train
Young examiners in agricultural pur-
suit: but the number dealt with is in
intestinal by comparison with the out
of-works Still that is one Of the best
features in the present distressing sit
uation.
Social Insurance scheme.
Although many Britishers will pro-
test against what follows, there can be
no doubt that The establishment and
existence OF the many social insurance
schemes in Britain covering our work
people must weigh in any considera-
ton when cheap passages and glowing
opportunities abroad are offered. First
and foremost there is the fact staring
them in the face that the Poor Law
system in the homeland guarantees
every destitute person without food,
clothing and shelter of kind by right
in law Then they are assured OF state
unemployment benefit when out of
work state sickness benefit when IN
capacitated, and maternity benefit Tor
the wife in confinement; state old-age
pension for the man and wife when
they reach 65 years of age. and state
widows pension and childrens allow
ance when the husband and father is
dead. All these schemes, Of course, APP
ply mainly to the working class popula-
ton: the middle classes are left out en-
tirely.
It stands to reason, therefore, that
the head of a family will think twice
and thrice before he leaves the country
of his birth. with all those benefits III
sight toward which. by the way, he is
compelled to contribute when he. Is
employed to find himself in a foreign
land where none Of them exist. Strange
to say, once again. the same consider
atoms do not appear to enter his mind
when he thinks of migrating to the
United States Then the British work
man is proud fellow: he is not willing
to clear the bush for his interiors even
within the Empire.
Attitude Of Domini0ns.
Perhaps the best explanation of all
why the number Of emigrants from
Britain TO the DoininioTls has declined
lies in the attitude Of the Dominions
themselves A higher standing of ply
sioue is now required than hitherto:
the character Of the individual is be-
ing scrutinized more closely, while the
overseas governments must now satisfy
themselves more than ever that the
emigrant after he lands will not be-
come a burden on the exchequer Of the
country Of his adoption. They are I'M
willing to allow their countries to be-
come the dumping ground Of what
they regard as the inferior products
of our population.
II is said. for instance, that they are
afraid Of the British miner because of
his supposed violent political views; but
there is no real ground for that fear.
Then IT is urged that the British emf
grant is not as willing to work as those
who come from other European coun-
tries II may be true that the lower
standard Of life of the country OF origin
makes the en1igrant more satisfied than
would otherwise be the case. Anyway.
the British people are not altogether
satisfied with the severe restrictions
laid down by the Dominions against
emigration, and renewed efforts are 70
be made TO make the passage Of willing
enigrants more smooth with view
TO easing the unemployment problem
in Britain
Finally, there is the oft repeated cry
at home, why send our people abroad
70 work on the land when there Is so
much soil untitled and uncultivated at
honeq" That cry, however, Is a little
more than voice In the wilderness,
but 1t does affect number Of Would-be
enligrants.
What results will accrue from the
new efforts 70 stimulate emigration re-
mains 10 be seen In any case the idea
Of a sef-supporting Empire Is now on
its trail and the British in1pertalist
must prove very soon whether unem-
pl0vrnent at home can be cured by the
many facilities offered within the En-
ulre upon which the sun never sets.
Copyright 1921