Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-08

N washington, rs elsewhere. relief
Of unemployment resolves itself into a
matter Of centralized and co-ordinated
community effort, directed toward the
solution Of the twofold problem of pro-
viding jobs for the jobless and the
necessities of living for those faced with
q grave emergency and possible suffer-
ing The meeting IN progress today
between the Commissioners and COM
mittee of citizens Is designed to reach
q common starting point and possibly
to perfect a local organization of cite
i1ens which would coordinate the &C
tivities of the many individuals and
agencies that are doing fine, If indie
pendent, work in connection with I'M
employment relief.
AS far as the municipal government
IA concerned, its contributions should
be the leadership that the Commits
sioners may offer the unorganized cit
isens, and the release Of whatever funds
are available for public works.
The District government is already
speeding up the letting Of contracts for
public works appropriated for BY the
Congress, expediting. wherever it Is
possible, the spending Of money that
Congress has said might be spent. It
should be remembered that unemploy-
ment In washington viii not increase
the amount of this money released BY
the municipality. The Commissioners
viii only spend now what they would
normally spend. If there Is any impress
SION that the Commissioners win be able
to release extra funds for employment
On construction projects, or to provide
an extraordinary opportunity for work,
the impression is erroneous. and 1t y
lust as necessary that there be clear
understanding Of what the Commission
ers cannot do as that there be knowl-
edge of what they can do. They can.
perhaps, hasten the letting Of contracts
ana other preliminaries. More than
this, they cannot do. The money they
can spend has already been allotted BY
the Congress. It was not appropriated
to relieve Unemployment. II . great
hallaballoo arises over the amount Of
money the Commissioners viii spend on
public works there d danger that idle
men from other cities will be drawn
hare In the false hope Of benenttng by
a job. There is much danger IN over
emphasizing what can be done. and
that danger should be avoided BY stick
ing to sane presentation Of the facts.
AS for the leadership the Commits
sioners may offer, . fine opportunity
is presented. There should be GEN.
trail organization Of citizens set up
with the idea Of creating and filling
rs many jobs as possible In the COM
munity. Wise propaganda In this con-
nection would be worthwhile. If money
IA needed for ONCE and incidental ex-
penses, it is believed that an appeal.
directed to the various organizations
Of citizens and business men, would
meet response The Community Chest
organization should be asked to CO.
operate and advise. It is essential that
the facts relating to local unemploy-
UlCLAb DC ODbdlHcQs bAldt Tic pCOp1c NC
acquainted with the form of relief that
viii be most effective. The Community
Chest should be able to furnish these
facts and present them intelligentIy as
Its many member organizations are in
close touch with the actual cases Of
want and suffering that may be allevi-
ated by proper effort. Unemployment.
TO these organizations. is merely a
phase Of the days work. Their ma
chinery is designed, from the ground
up, to take care of suffering in its vari-
Gus forms. In times Of stress the ma
chinery viii function smoothly, provided
there Is fuel to run it.
II committee of citizens, under the
leadership of the Commissioners. could
concentrate It's efforts upon a careful
survey of the situation in Washington,
and from the facts obtained formulate
q program OF relief, much can be ac-
compIshed Before the community can
strike effectively, it must be shown
where TO deliver the blow.