The Indianapolis times., 1930-03-29
A City Uses Its Head

Cities struggling with the unemployment problem
should watch Cincinnati 1t quietly is conducting
of the most interesting experiments in social engineer
ing attempted in this country in long time. 1t is
trying to keep men working and families fed regard
less Of national depression And it is succeeding to
surprising extent.
Like all daring and effective achievements the
tnng that impresses the outsider about the Cincin-
natl sabiization plan its extreme simplicity There
is nothing novel about the idea unless would say
the novelty consists in the willingness of community
officials and business leaders to apply obvious idea
The idea in brief is Il -5certan the extent of un
employment spread jobs among workers through
the "stagger" system, and provide temporary relief
work for the remaining labor surpus-the entire plan
being rigged in advance ready to operate when the
crisis comes
Behind this plan are two facts which were dis
covered by the Cincinnati leaders-facts long since
discovered by economists, and which should be very
clear to all communities but unfortunately are not.
First it is the fact that periodic unemployment
can not be hexed away by a lot of mumbo-jumbo
about business being good when it isn't. The reality
must be faced. More, it must be foreseen The fat
years must be used to prepare for the lean.
Second is the fact that the community as a whole
is morally and economically responsible for prevention
of the waste and misery of unemployment Unless
the economic disease Of unemployment is controlled,
it will spread until it threatens the entire city.
1t is not only good religion, but good business, for
u community to recognize its responsibility in prevent
ing the need Of soup kitchens and bread lines
Happily, Colonel C. o. Sheriff. Cincinnatis city
manager got that idea more than year ago while
times still were good. He promptly formed compre-
hensive committee of officials representing city, state
and federal agencies and of private social organza
tions and business men.
Their job in the midst of prosperity to per-
feet plan and machinery for its operation which
would stabilize employment when crisis occurred
whether tnat was in five weeks or five years.
Then, early last autumn, when it was clear to
all but the blind that bad winter was ahead, the
machinery was assembled and the power turned on.
For many months before the emergency hundreds
of business leaders and officials operating through
committees and subcommittee the entire metro
potan district of city and surrounding area had been
dealing with the following subjects: Fact-1nding,
publicity and education, cty-state employment
changes, continuous employment, temporary employ
ment public works, cooperation of agencies and
transient labor.
Slightly in advance Of the depression those employ
ers who could not maintain full production were In
duced to "stagger" employment none Of their
workers would be laid off entirely. Industries were
induced to create temporary jobs.
Then the city-state public works held in reserve
for the emergency-about treble the normal amount
were started. Finally, the surplus of able-bodied
workers sent to public and sem-public institutions
to do odd Jobs, and paid 30 cents an hour out OF
joint city and community chest fund
Naturally, Cincinnati has not solved the unemploy-
ment problem-which is as wide as our country and
deep our imperfect economic system But Gin
cinnau has achieved partial solution which is suf-
cient at least to make it better off today than most
cities
P. s-There is no copyright on the Cincinnati plan