Evening star., 1932-07-17
SELF-HELP ARMY
PROVIDES RELIEF
Southern Cities Create Work
for Unemployed in Va
riety of Ways.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ATLANTA, July 16.-A scene reminN-
cent Of wartime recruit camps was
enacted here this week as two "divi-
sions" Of a self-help army Of unem-
ployed went to work under a county,
managed plan that will provide work
for the jobless and supplies for desti-
tute families next Winter.
The plan is only one Of many SINH
larly operated in other Southern cities
to provide food for hungry families
through efforts Of heads Of the families
| themselves.
While those men put to work in
Atlanta were engaged in cutting weeds
and maintaining drainage bitches, the
principal feature of the plan is the
growing Of gardens that not only will
provide sustenarce during the Sum-
mer months, but surplus that will be
canned and held until Winter.
JObless Work Gardens.
More than 100 Red Cross and COM
munity gardens in Birmingham, Ala,
are being planted and cultivated by
jobless. The city and private agencies
| are spending about $4,000 a month in
relief work.
City and county officials of Men,
phis. Tenn, are sponsoring a garden
society, which has unemployed men
raising foodstuffs for canning. The city
Of Memphis has appropriated $4,000
to buy cans for this produce and can
| ming machinery at the county penal
farm there vii be used. Seeds sufficient
to SOW $500 vacant city lots have been
donated by citizens.
-
plan, cash donations by the county
were discontinued and hereafter the
rule will be mo work no food" The
county hopes by this means to elimi-
nate the habitually unemployed from
| the ranks of those it has been sus-
tanning.
Men in each of the two divisions
in Atlanta will work two days each
week and each man will receive a
weeks rations for himself and family.
Jacksonville. Fla, city employees pay
l per cent Of their salaries into a re-
lief fund for jobless and their depend
ents. The jacksonville Community
Chest Is caring for 1000 families and
many smaller Florida cities and towns
provide their destitute with free -four
and other staples.
City Creates Employment.
Relief for the needy and unemployed
in Louisville. KY, centerS in a munich
pal department Of welfare which.
since September /, 1881, has spent
s275 900, of which $l720O0 was paid
out directly in wages. Jobs for the un-
employed were made in parks, play
grounds and institutions. The welfare
department co-operates with the Com
munity Chest, the latter having as its
principal function the Family Service
Organization" which provides direct
unemployment relief.
New Orleans property owners recently
voted a s750,000 unemployment bond
issue which was sold to banks to pro-
vide the years program of relief. Pro-
ceeds are administered by the city and
the New Orleans Welfare Committee.
More than 1000 persons have been kept
in May.
The Red Cross at Charleston, S. c..
Is giving free -four to needy and there
also Mrs. Charles P. Summerall wife
OF Maj. Gen. Charles P. Summeran.
president Of the Citadel, heads a sewing
club for the benefit of needy Charles
cities maintain sewing clubs and civic
organizations contribute to the Door.
State Maintains Bureaus.
North Carolina unemployed receive
the services Of State-maintained en-
ployment offices at Raleigh, winston
Salem, Charlotte and Asheville and
hundreds have been given full or part
time employment.
Many organizations in North Carolina
have lent their influence to get jobless
back to the farm" pointing out the
states population is largely rural and
the farm program of the last four years
mas resulted In generous supply of
reserve food.
MlllS B. Lane, Georgia banker, offered
last week the use of 1000 acres Of Land
near Valdosta, rent free, to unemploved
VINO would plant farm crops. Mr.. Lane
SAD modest homes could be built for
persons who would agree to plant
qulck-groWing crops, putting themselves
on self-sustaining basis.