Evening star., 1931-11-27
PLEA TO WORKERS
|. OF j. S. EXPLAINED
Plan for Pay Contributions
Was Adopted to Avoid
Harsher Measures.
Continued From First Page.)


even suggested that this plan be applied
in the Government departments as a
means Of relieving the increasingly
serious situation here.
Need S45O,OOO More Than Usual.
President Hoover laid the situation
before Mr.. Campbell and Assistant Sec
retary of War Paine, seeking sugges-
tions from them and offering no
definite suggestion of his own. The
departmental representatives, both Fed
eral and District, and the District of
Columbia Unemployment Committee.
The question was: Should the stagger
system be put into effect here or should
the situation be cared for in some other
way?
There was almost unanimous opposi-
tion to the first proposal. In the first
place, most of the Government work is
highly specialized. 1t would be feasible
to apply the stagger system to only the
unspecialized and lower paid positions.
1t not only would be inefficient, but
highly demoralizing. The suggestion
was vetoed almost Immediately.
But something had to be done. Mr..
Campbell said, and done Immediately,
because the problem was pressing one
The amount needed to take care of the
extra burden OF unemployment proceed
ing from the Government establish
ments was calculated at $450,000. This
was the new load over and above what
had obtained in other years, when
everything had been left in the hands
of the Community Chest.
Immediate Action Decided On.
After thorough discussion it was de-
cided that the Unemployment Commit
tee be added to the organizations af-
filiated with and financed through the
Community Chest.
But this money had to be raised at
once. The Community Chest drive does
not take place until January, when the
Christmas buying Is done and folks
have had a little breathing spell. 1t
was practically impossible to move 1t
ahead Should there be two Com
munity Chest drives-one now and one
in January?
This, It was decided, would be very
poor policy. so 1t finally was de-
cided to act at once, but to add to the
$550,000 collected from the Govern
ment ofices by the Community Chest
last year an additional S450 900, max
ing q total Of $1,000,000. This was
solution of the problem In keeping with
the desires Of Mr.. Hoover. Success Of
the drive would mean an end to all
suggestions such as that the stagger
system be put in effect. or that only
one member of a family be employed
suggestions had caused a great deal of
worry.
It is not to be concluded that there
ever was much likelihood that either of
these suggestions would be put in effect
Not only would 1t work hardship on in
dividuals but it would seriously hinder
the functioning Of the Government
stresses, something had to be done
ing q threat over the heads Of the
Government employees. Rather, the
purpose Of the committee has been
frank understanding Of the actualities
Of the situation.
Campbell Uses Arizona Plan.
Mr.. Campbell himself takes the re-
sponAbility Of the ''three-days' pay"
proposal, which has essentially been put
into effect Mr.. Hoover, he stresses,
had nothing to do with 1t, as has
days'-pay" allotment represented the
minimum required in order to raise the
81, 900 900. The Government pay roll
in Washington runs close to 100000
a day. A 100 per cent subscription
was not to be expected. Mr.. Camp
bell remembered the bitter Winters of
1920 and 1921 in Arizona, when he was
Governor Then the system adopted
was to obtain a days pay every week
or every two weeks from each employe
to help the sufferers 1t worked. He
felt that the Government employe,
reasonably secure in his job while un-
fortunate fellow citizens were walking
the streets, should not begrudge one
The first suggestion, in fact, was for
four days pay, but this was vetoed
when it was calculated that it would
bring in more money than actually
was needed
The Community Chest, after a con-
ference between Mr.. Street and the
directors, accepted the extra RESPONSE
bility, much as the organization would
have preferred sticking to the regular
procedure of drive in January. They
realized that this problem was imme-
diate. What followed was the estab-
lishment in each department Of the
Federal and District Governments Of an
organization for collecting the pledges
Unwilling Gifts" UnsOught.
Now as to the most-debated coercion
question: It is a big organization, made
up of all sorts of men and women
Almost anything is likely to happen in
such an organization. Furthermore,
both Campbell and Street admit the
possibility Of a certain psychological
morale. Every department wants to
make good showing.
But Mr.. Campbell states unequivo-