The border vidette., 1931-09-05
UNEMPLOYMENT
Shall We Provide Labor Or Use The
Dole This Winter?
By P. G. Spilsbury

NeDOTtS iIOu OVcI Iu0 Oulucu
States indicate that regardless
of a slight improvement in busi.
ness. conditions at large are not
likely to improve rapidly enough
to overcome serious employment
problems this winter.
Analyzing our own situation,
we fnd that highway projects,
public buildings and other works
have taken up the labor slack to
a considerable extent and that
Arizona as a whole is probably
better off than most industrial
sections. Many such programs.
however, are nearing compile
ton, and with the continual fall
ing of commodity prices and
with nothing ia sight to increase
earning-power 10 time TO help
Us this year, it is time that every
loyal Arizonan give some serious
thought and make some prepar
attain to meet the conditions
which will face us in the late
fall and winter.
It is probable that many Of our
people who haye been depending
on cotton-growing and agricul
tural work will be faced with the
fact that returns will do no more
than pay outstanding debts, leav
ing nothing to carry them over
to the next season. | have sug
gested in another report a
method which should help the
situation.
With the continued strain on
all business, it is probable that
building programs will not in
crease, and we will face the
necessity of providing work or
charity for many hundreds of
men, women and children among
our own citizens. The providing
of funds for protection and
assistance of people less forum
ate is always difficult and this
year such appeals must be made
to many lines of business 90
! which donations will be a heavy
burden.
In such a situation every effort
| should be made to provide work
rather than charity to the great
| est possible extent. l believe it
| will be possible to inaugurate
community plans to this end
which will make it possible for
all citizens to contribute to un
employment relief with the
| knowledge that they are actual.
ly ontributing to community
betterment, making relief funds
an asset rather than a liability
and at the same time preserving
the morale of the men receiving
help.
Every community has some
public or mi-public improve
| ment project which has long
been desired-parks, Fairgrounds,
stadiums, etc. | would suggest
that ia each section of the state
! some such outstanding public
work be instituted, of a type
on which any inexperienced man
could be employed. and which,
although financed by public sub.
scriptions, would be of future
benefit to the community and
hence to all contributors. In
stead Of being handled as charity
each such project would be in-
corporated as community corp
ora,ion and subscriptions solicited
for stock issued in denominations
of 81 90 per share.
All money so raised would be
used for the employment of men
who must have work, and par
ticularly those who have families
to support. The wage scale
would consist of providing three
meals day on the job, plus a
small cash payment which could
go toward helping the mans
family. The undertaking would
be handled only as an emergency
proposition and the wages paid
would be sufficient only for food
requirements. The different
charity organizations would issue
work cards emitting the bearers
to three meals day and some
cash for as long a period as they
needed work. Loyal co-opera
ticn Of all local organizations
should make it possible for all
overhead, such as engineering,
supervision, administration. etc. =,
to be handled without expense.
AS an example, / might point
out that under this plan the long
discussed development of Echo
! Gnpuop Pnn) Of tho hood of