The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-24

hc ANC" IioNCh Sui itS an interesting article by Anne Whelan, which shows that Water- bury was among the first cities in New England to iEaugurate a prac- tical plan of helping the unem- ployed through the period of de- presslon which exists in all parts of the United States and in almost every nation in the world.
 The article Is as follows:
 Suggestion was made at the aldermanic hearing on unemploy- ment Wednesday that the commit tee look into the Waterbury plan Of unemployment relief. which was devised in that city, last Decem- Der and has been in operation ever since. It is a voluntary con- tribution plan. which has netted that city to date $497. 7.0O0 in relief.
 Family Heads Get $15.
 The head of every destitute fam . fly in the city gets $l5 a week. $3 day for five days. Single men and women are not taken into consideration at all. We told the single men to get out and get jobs and within q day eight of the nine had done so.
 "I cant conceive of a single woman not being able to get work ' said Mayor Frank Hayes. today in explaining the plan. The mayor himself is a bachelor.
 At precisely the time the present plan, which has come to be known nationwide as the Waterbury plan, was put into effect in that city, the city of New Haven had appropriated $25O.00O for relief work.
 Mayor Hayes explained today that the plan had worked admir- ably, that the custOdians of the fund are irreproachable banking men and that it's distribution has not cost the city a cent of money
 Calls Committee.
 Mayor Hayes thus explains it: Last December we realized that we had had plan of unemploy- ment on our hands, and I called together heads of the manufacture ing plants of the city, about fifty in number. I told them that .he city had made an immense saving in taxation. about 16 ga on the $2.000, 900 grand list. This money. I did not propose should be vast ed. It was saved to the citizens of Waterbury and should go back to them.
 "I suggested to this committee that there were alternatives of CO., operating with me in giving relief. or issuance of bonds which wo,'' give us plenty of headaches in years to come.
 Survey in s Days
 "The committee voted to do It's share, toward relief. They asked immediately that q survey be made. A subcommittee of seven or eight was appointed. including heads of the Welfare Bureau heads of the Dioceson. the Catho- lie charity board, the Lincoln House settlement. the head of the employment department of Sco- will Manufacturing Company, and representatives Of the three larg- est manufacturing plants, the American Brass Company, Scovil Manufacturing plant, and Senator Lewis Reed, of the largest bank here.
 This committee set to work to make Il survey and enlisted in It's aid pastors of the various denom- nations. employment offices of the factories, to ascertain the number of heads of families without work In the city, with no auxiliary means of support.
 "In eight days our survey was completed. We found 1952 heads of families with number of chil- dren ranging from one to nine. "rhese had no means of support If there was any possible source o1 income in the family the family head got no help. A widow was considered q family head. We found the average number of chil- dren to be four in these destitute families. The survey revealed many fragrant cases of families who were too poor to make their Restitution known. The churches were helpeful in ferreting these groups out, for they most needed help.
 First Plan Falls We determined that the least fimily could live on was g T day. We knew how many we had to help, and set about to find q means of obtaining the necessary budget, about $292,000, according to the first estimate.
 "We then devised our assess ment plan. Every person In the city earning $50 or less a week was to be taxed one per cent q week, those receiving $50 or over up to $10O weekly taxed. ? per cent, and those earning $lOO or over, three per cent.
 This assessment failed to raise the required amount. and we per suaded tho employers of every match their contributions. This worked out.
 Opposed Tax "Waterbury had been heavily taxed and 1t was not possible tc suggest an increase in taxes. The rate had been 42 mills. My admin istration reduced 1t to 35 mills. "The plan was entirely volun' tary and cost nothing to collect. a' Ia Community Chest enterprise