Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-23
Committee Announces 2,214
Have Been Given Jobs Since
First of December.
AT LEAST 300 TO LAST
3 MONTHS OR LONGER
So, 900 Of Grid Game Profits Will
Create Work to Bring Fire
wood for Needy.

Washington's army of the unem-
ployed,. once estimated to be more than
$4,000 strong, is being reduced at the
rate of about TOO a week, it was dis
closed today by officials of the District
of Columbia Committee on Employment.
A total Of 2,214 men and women have
been given work since the LIST Of De-
cember.
Most of the jobs are Of temporary
nature, but at least 800 Of them were
listed as permanent placements-that
is, Of three months duration or longer.
The figures show that 75S persons
were placed in a wide variety of po-
sitions during the first week of Deem
Der, 700 were placed during the second
week and 756 were placed during the
third week. which ended Saturday.
YuIe Rush Provides Work.
Stores, public utilities, professional
men and others have co-operated to
make this record possible, it was de-
clared today. The Christmas rush in
the department stores has provided
work for scores of temporary sales
clerks, bundle wrappers and delivery
helpers Rail and bus terminals are
taking on helpers in baggage rooms
and the like. Lawyers are employing
extra typists to clean up accumulated
work before the New Year.
OF the group given work last week
212 were white laborerS, 216 colored
laborers and 241 colored women en-
ployed in domestic work Most Of the
remainder filled clerical posts.
In order to compensate for the after
Christmas employment slump, the COM
mittee will make a drive for co-opera-
ton of all job-holders in finding work
for the less fortunate ones. Every en-
some one an odd job during January.
The Central Committee Of the Com
nissioners' Committee on Unemploy-
ment Relief met yesterday and decided
to use approximately 5000, segregated
from the profits Of the charity foot ball
game played December between the
Marine and Coast Guard elevens, in
giving employment to men unloading
barges Of flrewood which viii be dis
More Direct Relief Sought.
1t had previously been thought that
the committee would donate the money
to regularly organized charities, but
the decision made yesterday was in an
effort to bring more direct relief to the
factor of unemployment than to relieve
indirectly through charitable funds.
Tie wood in question has been do
mated to the poor of the city by the
u. S. Marine base at Quantico, Gen.
Smedley D. Butler, commanding. It
will be brought to Washington in barges
towed by Navy tugs and unloaded at
the Municipal Fish Wharf, Eleventh
and Water streets.
At that point, according to a state
ment issued by the committee, the wood
will be handled as follows:
For each barge load of wood that
is brought from Quantico approximately
80 men, resident Washingtonians who
are now out of work, will be hired and
formed into crews to unload the barges.
These men will be paid an hourly wage
Of not less than 40 cents. 1t Is esti-
mated that three eight-hour work days
will be required to unload each barge.
Thus, every man in the unloading crew
will receive not less than $3.50 for
three days work and the handling of
each barge of flrewood will necessitate
an expenditure on the part of the COM
mittee Of not less than 1888 in wages,
plus additional items of cost in the form
OF watchman's wages, insurance, etc.
Maximum Cost Figured.
Assuming that the maximum cost
OF unloading such barge may
amount to $500 and assuming that each
barge will convey about 400 cords of
kindling wood to Washington it will
be seen that the cost of handling each
cord Of wood will be approximately 81
distribution Of the wood after it is
unloaded will cost the committee Moth
ing as United States Army Transport
Corps and numerous local business
| firms have volunteered the services of
their trucks for this occasion). The
retail price for this same wood would
be about $12 per cord.
Therefore the committee, by using
the funds at its disposal in this manner,
VIII create an average wage of So 80 for
80 unemployed men for three days
work per week. 1t viii also distribute
| flrewood to many needy families in
this city providing them, at no expense
to themselves, with two Of the funda-
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