Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-08-20
KNOWING THE TRADE AND
UNEMPLOYMENT

Generally speaking unemployment
is demoralizing. There is happiness
in work and especially when one is
employed at trade he likes-employ-
ment that just seems natural to be
his life work. And when a person is
working at the trade or profession
that he likes he is much more apt to
make good. Having learned to appre-
ciate good work in his trade he will
strive to do likewise and will work
at his trade long enough to be able
to " deliver the goods" before he goes
into business for himself. That at
titude toward the trade is natural to
folks who love their work whether
they be carpenters, plumbers, painters,
blacksmiths, jewellers. printers, doc
tors, dentists, florists, teachers, or
any other trade or profession.
For instance in the printing trade
we have what is termed BLACKSMITH
prin er s"-those who may have
worked few months in some print
ing office, then bought out plant
and call themselves printers and pub
lishers-usually rural weekly news
paper offices. Other tradesmen have
nicknames for folks entering their
trades that have not been fitted and
prepared for the work. Going deep
into printing it is an art and as
such a person is never through learn
ing. but there is a wide difference be-
tween the product turned out by the
tradesman who loves his work, makes
spent enough time at it to be called
a tradesman, and the product turned
out by the man who has just
fallen into the trade and cares little
about what kind of "slOp-work' he
turns out. The latter is also the kind
who whines and cries if he does not
get the business. Many rural week
lies have died out in the last 10 to
Is years because the man in charge
did not know his trade, and because
he did not deliver the goods. Another
reason for the fading away of those
papers is their limited news service
and no editorial policy. In this age
of telephone, radio, and rapid means
of transportation folks want news from
wider source than just the local
community.
But we got away from the original
subject of unemployment. The Census
Bureau reports that 40 per cent of
the wholly unemployed are under 80
years of age. About 29 per cent are
between 20 and 30, and II per cent
are under 20.
The advice to youth by men of ma
ture years and experience has been
to go to work and stay at it. Work
is good for you physically and men,
tally" And that has been good adj
vice. Work, save and be prudent, it
builds character and places the young
man in a position to take advantage
of the opportunity when something
better turns up. In the more modest
homes, where the children have had
to work to help provide food and shell
ter or to work their way through
school, is usually where the best citi-
zens of tomorrow are reared.
Therefore 1t is very apparent that
unemployment is serious problem.
We do not see so much of it out here
in the rural districts but there is en-
tirely too much unemployment the
country over-about six million peo-
pie usually gainfully employed being
now out of work. Unemployment
causes more personal suffering when
it comes later in life-the man over
so who can find nothing to do is the
saddest sight on the streets and a
common one. But the social loss Of
joblessness in youth is probably great
er still.