The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-02-27
Recreation and I'm
employment
By IRENE DIXON.


and industrial concerns are giving the cues
ton Of recreation and athletics for the unern-
ployed is shown by the Eighteenth Recreational
Congress Of the United States and Canada held
In Toronto recently. The December issue of the
Recreation" magazine formerly "Playground")
Is entirely given to the main topic of discussion
at the Congress, that is, recreation and unem-
ploynent. The entire Congress centered around
methods and means by which to curb the harm
ful and destructive effects of unemployment
through recreation" President Hoover and Prime
Minister Bennett of Canada sent greetings to
this Congress, The following is part of the mes
sage sent by Prime Minister Bennett
During these trying days of economic depres-
sion public expenditures should not be cut at
the expense of recreation"
President Hooyers message was in part:
Recreation Is especially necessary in these
days of unemployment"
This years Congress showed huge increase
in the number Of delegates and especially of in
dustrial delegates These delegates represented
huge industrial firms in the Unitd States and
Canada. The entire discussion showed the enor-
nous increase in the use Of sports and recrea-
tional centers by the unemployed and by the
children Of the unemployed workers. One Of the
delegates stated that: Unemployment rocrea-
tional centers are just as important as banking
centers"
This gathering Of recreational directors and
industriahsts of United States discussed the
problems of combating the effects of unenl-
ployrnent how they could best keep the workers
from joining workers organizations, and how
to combat the demands of the workers for I'M
employment insurance. The following are some
Of the proposals of the Congress:
(a) The use Of unemployed labor to build
parks, recreationaI centers, etc. Emphasis was
he ai1ob1 at
even for only meals and no wages at all to do
the work
(b) The Congress stated that it was not so
interested in the material and economic effects
OF unemployment but rather the MORAL AND
SPIRITUAL EFFECTS. They proposed recrea-
uonal and sport centers to be built in order to
keep the unemployed adults, youth and children
under their influence and Supervision" SO that
they will not get "anti-social" ideas. These CEN
ters to be built wherever possible in connection
with lighthouses, breadlines, and employment
agencies. That the workers who register at the
employment agencies and have card be allowed
the use Of the recreational centers. The ques-
ton Of keeping the workers from congregating
in order ito discuss matter among themselves
was considered important and therefore all plans
were made to see that recreation and sports was
given to the unemployed under trained leaders,
These leaders also to be recruited from among
the unemployed white collar" workers and well
trained
The governments Of the United States and
Canada are making all preparations to use the
normal instinct of the workers for recreation
and sports in order to keep the workers from
joining the Unemployed Councils and the other
workers organizations to fight for immediate
relief End unemployment insurance at the ex-
pense Of the bosses and their government. They
propose to put all the recrea tol1al facilities I'M
der the control of the YNICAs, settlement houses,
churches, etc. This is a direct challenge to
the program Of the Labor Sports Union in its
fight for the free Use of public sport facilities
under the ADMINISTRATION of the YOUNG
WORKERS THEMSELVES. Already the bosses
are putting their plans into practice. m Cleve-
land, the city government together with the in
dustrial bosses of the Otis and Mckinley Steel
Companies are opening UP all facilities for tina
use of the unemployed not under the Labor
Sports Union or Unemployed Councils but under
the control of the YMCA's, etc They have con-
sistently refused the use of school gyms free OF
charge to the Labor Sports Union clubs under
various excuses.
In Philadelphia they have built recreation
center next to flophouse.
Our answer to these attacks of the bosses
bosses against the organization OF workers must
be to expose and fight against this method of
foohng the workers We must show the work.
ers the necessity of joining the workers organ
izations and fighting militantly for their Ge-
mands for immediate relief and unemployment
insurance The Labor Sports Union must in
tensify its campaign for the free use of public
schools and sport centers for the young workers
under the control OF the young workers them
selves. This must be done through huge CAM
paign for the collection of signatures for petit
tons, through the endorsement of this campaign
by workers organizations, by independent sport
clubs of young workers, and by modifying the
young workers from Community Centers, bread
lines, flop houses for our campaign. Only thru
mass pressure and demonstrations demanding
from the city governments can the workers Sc
cure the use Of free public facilities for recre-
alton and sports under the leadership Of the
workers.