Evening star., 1932-07-24
.J0B[ESS LEAGUE
GROWS IN TACOMA
Both Praised and Feared. 1t
Unites Unemployed to
Help Selves.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
TACOMA, Wash, July 20 (N.ANA).
Like the rest Of the Nation, Tacoma
is struggling with the grave problem of
feeding growing army of unemployed.
Out Of many futile attempts to solve
it has grown the Unemployed Citizens
League, an organization watched with
interest by all and with anxiety in
some OF the more conservative circles
Born three months ago, this infant
organization has grown Justify, and
now embraces more than 20 chapters
In different sections of the city, with a
total enrolment estimated at round
10000. Auxiliaries to the various
chapters are being formed by women.
There are two contrasting pictures
of this e9gue-one of a group of in
dustrious, honest people working out
their own salvation in time of stress
when other agencies have failed; the
other, OF an organization which
threatens to become costly parasite
upon the taxpayers.
Commissaries Established.
In store rooms long vacant the
league has established commissaries
where food and supplies are distributed
in return for work done by members
On vacant city lots and abandoned
farms garden crops have been planted,
and league lromen are canning fruits
and surplus vegetables against a food
shortage this T'inter.
Necessities which the league is OBJ
tanning for its members include food,
clothing, fuel, shoe repair work. hous-
ing. transportation, medical attention,
barber shops and recreation.
To date more than 400 cords OF
wood have been cut on timber tract
donated by the Weyerhaeuser Timber
Co, and recently printing shop was
established to print necessary Office
forms, tickets dodgers and similar
items. State industrial Office. headed
by Paul r. Haffer. has been opened in
the Puget Sound Bank Building. and
plans are being made TO exchange COM
moditieS for the products of affiliated
leagues in other sections Of the State.
The league in this city has am
bilious plans for the future including
projects for medical clinic, Summer
camp at Titlow Beach. just west Of the
city on Puget Sound; home for single
women. sawmill, foundry and a
machine shop.
Houses Taken Over.
The housing problem is one in which
the league is also engrossed. Long
abandoned houses have been turned
over to it by the owners, and, in turn
for free leases. the tenants are eX-
pected to improve the property. This
has helped in solving the housing
problem, but many more houses still
are needed.
1t is the proud boast of the league
that it is paying its own way with the
work Of its members, and here it is that
hot dispute develops as to whether
the league is an organization which
will be for the best interests of the
general public and the taxpayer.
Many close observers OF the league
point out practically all the food now
being distributed b. it is paid for from
funds appropriated from Tacoma and
Pierce County tax moneys. and declare
the league organizers in their efforts
to swell their member-h.p are enrolling
many not in actual need. increasing the
demands for supplies which are actually
being paid fer BY tie taxpayers.
Under tie present agreements. the
league is supposed to account for the
distribution OF all supplies furnished
by the county. but has failed in many
instances to do So county welfare Of
fcial5 have asserted They add that
While the league is supposed to help
ease the problem Of caring for unem-
Dloyed. it actually has increased heavily
the burden upon the taxpayers.
The rapid growth Of the Unemployed
Citiz2ns' League hss also brought con-
Germ to conservatives. who assert that
while the league has gone on record
as having no part in politics. some of
the more radical members confidently
predict they will soon take over the
city and county governments and ed
minister funds as they see fit.
Carried on Stubbornly.
Although the county commissioners
have declared they will supply no ad-
ditional league commiesaries. the
league is going ahead with plans for
new commissaries in various communi-
ties of the county with the calm dec
laration that the commissioners,
whether they want to or not will fur
nish supplies for these new commits
saries. county officials say
Just what the future holds for the
league and for the taxpayers. after the
leagues activities and plans are
further along is a matter for specula-
tion. but it is generally agreed the
present organization will continue here
in one form or another until the de-
preston ends
CCopyright, 1882, bv North American News
paper Alliance, Inc
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