The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-21
The breakdown of Charity

There has been persistent opposition to federal
and state aid to the unemployed and starving IL mas
been insisted that private charity will be wholly ade-
quate to tide the poor over to the time when they
can begin to earn their own living again.
Unfortunately, this optimism seems groundess
There is no evidence that there fewer persons
unemployed today than in April 1880, while the funds
for relief are pretty generally exhausted close to
exhaustion. Labors News runs the following Fed
Grated Press dispatch indicating the status of volun
tary relief today:
Charity agencies planned last winter to carry the
jobless only to April l in many cities across the
country. Now funds are exhausted, employment has
not improved and possibly the worst period of the
business panic faces the workers in the immediate
future, a survey by Federated Press shows.
I'm New York. 100000 was pledged to the Pros
ser committee to provide work for $4,000 heads Of
families, three days week at S. day One million
not paid and the fund is to be exhausted April 8.
Already thousands of the least needy have been fired
other thousands must 60
THE city has asked legislative approval Of bond
of s1OOo0OoO and may hire Of the jobless
on city work New York City workers losing
sSooooOOo month in wages. Not even the Socialist
demands for $2500o00O would touch the loss.
1.-THE papers carry story OF baby starving to
hungry Reports from potters field say many caskets
are marked Starved Little has been done; that
little is being stopped.
"In ST. Louis 5000 families have been living on
city appropriation of 100000. It's gone. COM
mittee is asking 100000 from individuals, estimat
Ing $4,000 without work
I'm Pittsburgh there is a pan-bosses and
workers each to give one days pay roll, 100000
to be raised. fourth has been raised, ptfully in
adequate Steel employment is down, coal is slipping
fast. Miners talk revolt; trade unions demand job
funds; Mellon rules and holds to his billion effec
lively.
'In Baltimore the rich gave so stingily that the
poor had to throw in their dimes and dollars to raise
the 100000 again totally inadequate.
I'm Chicago even the fophouses are to be closed
the obless driven out to sleep under beautiful Mich
igan boulevard Employment continues downward
I'm San Francisco the jobless apple sellers
to be driven from the street. Little business
face bankruptcy and the peddlers business may make
the difference in survival.
I'm Lima, o.. girls wages have been cut to $3.75
week as the pressure has become harder and harder
I'm West Virginia coal miners families starv-
ing 80 per cent in debt to the companies children
have no clothes, SICK probably always will be-
as a result Of malnutrition in youth.
1.-THE same is true everywhere in America. Job
fund bills are being defeated and government is refus
ing to help. Charity has been exhausted Employ
rnent is not increasing. Economists predict another
year of hard times"
1t is becoming more and difficult to stave
off the day when our federal and state agencies will
have to take some systematic action to provide for
unemployment insurance Perhaps the very break
down of private charity will render valuable service
to public education this point.