The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-21
La TOILETTE
DEMANDS u. 5.
AID FOR NEEDY
Immediate Call for Session
of Congress Requested
by Senator.
DARK PICTURE PAINTED
Survey Shows Depression Is
Not Waning; Thousands
Face Famine.

By Scrtpps- Hoioord Newspaper Alliance
WASHINGTON, May 21.-A de-
tailed survey of American business
at the present time furnishes con-
elusive evidence that the number
of unemployed will be as great next
winter as in the winter just past
and that they will face dire distress,
Senator Robert M. La Toilette Jr.
said today, and on the basis OF this
survey. h. demanded an immediate
session Of congress to deal with the
problem.
The survey was made by the sub
committee on unemployment and
distress of the progressive confer
ence, headed by DR.. Isador Lubin.
The survey showed the following
facts:
Freight car loadings declined by
1900 in the week ended May 8, a
most unusual slump for this time
of year.
Employment in manufacturing
industries fell in April to TAB per
cent of the 1926 average. The en-
ployment index for April was only
IA points higher than for January,
though large gain is usual in the
spring.
Steel Far Down
While steel production has ceased
to drop it has not increased and
remains at At per cent of its theo-
retical capacity.
The output of electric power, an
element which enters into the pro-
duction of most important commod-
tiles, is declining, and was lower in
March than in any other month in
recent years except February.
American exports to foreign coun-
tries in April reached the lowest
point since 1914.
Combined imports and exports
were lower by 236,OO0,O00 in April
than in April of 1890.
Department store sales declined in
March and were lower than those
of any recent month except Decenl-
Der.
While automobile and cotton in
dustries made marked gains early III
the spring, sales of cotton cloth
dropped. sharply in April and auto
mobiles appeared to have difficulty
in holding the April level
Building Permits Low
Building permits gained 7 per
cent in April, but still were 16 per
cent below the figure for last April.
Even though some unforeseen
factor should cause rapid i'm
provement in the economic situa-
ton, sufficient number of unem-
ployed could not be absorbed to
prevent great suffering within the
next twelve months" La Toilette
said in discussing the survey.
Complete and part-time employ
ment have resulted in disappear
ance of the largest part of the saw
ings of the working classes. More
and more of those who have tried
in every possible way to avoid
seeking public or charitable aid
will be forced to turn to those
agencies.
ct is highly questionable whether
many of the relief agencies will be
in position to meet what is sure
to be growing demand upon their
finances"
Cities Face Crisis
On this point the survey showed
that ten of the largest cities in the
country still were paying out S.
100000 for relief in March, a figure
two and half times the amount
expended at the beginning of last
year.
La Toilette stressed the fact that
neither charitable contributions nor
municipal contributions can con-
ti11ue at the same rate as in 1880,
due to inability of property
owners to meet their obligations,
virtually every city of the country
has experienced fall in tax re-
ceipts. The situation is complicated
further by the fact that many
municipalities already have bor-
rowed up to their legal capacity.
unless the federal government
spends now, the cost of healing
those injuries which are likely to
occur during the coming twelve
months will be many times more
than what may be shaved by our
present policy of federal economy"
he declared.