The daily worker., 1932-01-12
By BEN GRAY
PART /

GOVERNOR ENlMERSON'S lake Unempioy-
u ment Relief Commission has concluded the
drive for $10000000 for relief for Chtcago's un-
employed. The greatest portion of this has been
fiched out Of the starvation wages Of the work
ers in the shops. OF the $4,000 unemployed IN
Chicago the family men have received a crumb
while the hundreds of thousands OF youth and
single men have been refused any relief what
soever or sent to the dreaded flophouses Need
less to say the immense and unnecessary bu-
reaucratic machine set up TO distribute the
funds has eaten into millions of dollars OF the
fund through the payment Of high salaries and
plenty Of graft.
Approximately 16 flophouseS have been set up
in Chicago by the Enlmerson Relief Commission
to provide for the needs" OF the tens Of thou
sands Of homeless youth and single men Each
flophouSe houses between 500 and 1000 men,
There are also flophouSes for women and girls.
The spacing between the beds is barely three
inches apart The most unsanitary and disease
spreading conditions prevail. Inadequate wash
ing and toilet facilities, etc., young and old
workers are herded into these places like cattle
and treated though they we're In a peniten-
tiary-eyen worse.
The food dished out is not fit for pigs to eat
Slop is mild for it. Two meals" day
are served day in and day out in monotonous
prison-llke fashion. In the morning-half-
cooked oatmeal, soured and stale; dirty-water
coffee and stale (noldy) bread This must
suffice until pm. This meal consists invari-
ably Of a So-called stew-thickened with flour
If you find meat in it through stroke Of luck
don't eat Tits stale! This Is how the boss
class hirelings provide" for starving youth and
single men. THROUGH SLOW STARVATION.
Today there are great number OF Negro and
white youth in these flophouses. There are many
skilled oT {y1du urloo
savings went with the avalanche Of bank crashes.
Workers whose families have been broken up by
the United Charities the Catholic Charities and
The Emmerson Relief! (There are also hun
dreds OF thousands of these, of ex-servicemen
and war veterans. Workers have secured the
country far and wide in search of jobs-whom
fear Of hunger and cold has forced into the
flophouses. These workers have become bitter
against the Systen1-they are ready to fight for
the right to live. When properly approached
Con the basis Of their most immediate demands)
they will become tremendous factor for our
movement in the struggle for Unemployment
Insurance They have nothing to lose-and Ger
tainly much to gain through the struggle
The Unemployed Council has been carrying on
agitation around the flophouses for quite some
time. But 1t is no accident that the struggle for
food has begun at 222 s. Morgan st.. where
there are mostly youth After gaining some con-
cessions, such as sleeping an hour later (till
am, instead OF 5)-the use OF the place during
the daytime yor recreation-the youth commit
tee OF the unemployed council began the fight
FOR three meals a day and better food. On Mon
day, Dec. IA, over 200 young workers threw
their SLOP down In disgust, turned over tables
and walked out in protest Though 1t was led
by the youth In the unemployed council, the
demonstration was spontaneous in character and
fully represented the indignation of the work
ers. Immediately following the demonstration
the drive of terror against the men was stopped
The right to meet in the flophouse and voice
grievances was granted-and recognition of COM
mittees elected by the workers. Committees
were sent to the Enmerson Relief Commission
at 10 S. LasSalle with the following demands
The committees represented two flophouses and
the unemployed council:
I. Three meals a day-to all men. Clean.
nourishing food, to include fresh vegetables,
fresh bread, fresh milk and fruit. Complete
change of menu daily.
2. No less than 1e inches Of sapce between
each bed.
g. Chewing and smoking tobacco Swice week
for all men
4 Recognition OF committees elected by the