Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-16
800 MILLION DRIVE
FOR RELIEF OPENS
IN u. S. NEXT WEEK
314 Cities Need Immediate
Help, Clifford Is In.
formed.
WELFARE AGENCIES
MOBILIZE FOR WORK
Jobless and Regular Social Aid
Campaigns to Be Held in Hun
dreds of Cities.

The citizens of the United States will
be called On to contribute approx
mately 5000 900, 900 during the next so
days for unemployment and social well
fare relief
A report containing an estimate OF
S170. 090.130, needed at once in 314
cities for unemployment relief only. to-
day was in the hands of Walter S. Gill;
ford, national relief director.
It was presented by the Association
of Community Chests and Councils so
that the Presidents Organization on
Unemployment Relief would know what
objective to seek in stimulating cam
paigns for funds to be raised locally.
Most Of the campaigns open next week.
Chests to Push Drive.
During the same period the majority
of the 381 member cities OF the Com
munity Chests Association will wage
their regular campaigns for their an
nual social welfare budgets. the none
tary goal being set unofficially at $780,
600 900. A total Of S80,000,00O was
raised in chest cities last year.
At the same time 100000 more
will be asked for by the American Red
Cross in its annual roll call
Inasmuch as the Community Chests
estimate does not include distress relief
in communities of less than 25,ODO
population it has been unofhcially esti-
mated that the American Association
of Public Welfare and other agencies
cooperating with the Presidents group
would have to raise approximately $685.
100000 for rural relief purposes.
Clifford Finds Reinsurance.
Commenting on the $4,000. 900
estimate submitted to him, Clifford said,
we realize the figures are in sense
only estimates and cover only part Of
the total problem, but they are reas-
surfing"
"Thcv tend" he added, "to confirm
the view of the Presidents Organiza-
ton on Unemployment Relief that the
burden arising from unemployment this
Winter can and will be Fundamentally
met"
The association in submitting the
estimate completed an assignment given
it by the Presidents group to ascertain
the extent of relief needs and TO stimu-
late both local campaigns for private
funds and the provisions OF local ap'
preparations in 5l8 cities.
Needs are Estimated.
The report said of the 518 cities 3l4
representing a combined population of
&c. 685 ,595 III As States, supplied esti-
mates of their needs for this Winter.
The cities not replying were for the
most part smaller places with sn aggre-
gate population of 100000,
OF the total of sl70,090, 100. the sum
of s142. 670.130. the report said is need
ed for home" relief; $27 $1,000 for
work" relief. The report added that
these cities estimate 500 per cent OF
the total of $142 ,670130 for home" re-
lief must come from city and county
treasures: 37.6 per cent from private
funds. and the remaining is per cent
from miscellaneous sources.
Work relief is the amount to be
spent by the cities in construction
activities which indirectly would give
employment to a number of persons
Home" relief involves direct aid to the
needy in the form Of food, rent and
clothing. 1t does not provide for nurs-
ing, medicine or institutional care.
Prospects are Varied.
Reports from lit cities said prospects
of raising the money were either excel
lent or good; II reported the prospects
as fair and 80 said the outlook was
poor, and 81 cities, needing $3,3l8, 1873,
volunteered to no appraisal OF the out
look.
The association said it was certain
the total work relief is not all that
will be spent in this manner. Only %
of the 3l4 cities answered the aSsocia-
tons query regarding this type OF re-
lief. Many of the others failed to an
swer it, presumably because of the UNI
certainty as to the nature and extent of
local plans, the association said.
Relief Course Traced.
while there has been the usual sea-
sonal decline in relief expenditures since
March of the current year, the main
relief curve shows a sharp upward
movement from the 1929 level in 1880
and a still sharper rise in 1884," the
association said.
1T shows relief expenditures in Au-
gust of 1881 to have been almost two
and one-half times as high as those in
August 1890, and nearly four times as
high as those in August, 1929.
The figures on which these COM
parsons are based came from selected
cities in New England. the Middle At
lantic States, the North Central States.
the South and in the Mountain and