Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-14
Europe's Jobless Millions.

From Paris comes an Associated
Press dispatch depicting more graphi-
cslly in figures than any words could
do the terrific unemployment situation
throughout Europe. The chief indus
trial countries of the Old World are
faced with the problem of providing
labor or aid for at least 10 700 900 un-
employed at the outset Of 1882. Ger
many heads the grim table of jobleSS-
ness with $3.50, 900 people out of work
Great Britain has 2,5O0,O 900 idle, Italy
$50, 900; Spain, 100000, and France
even opulent, prosperous France-300,-
900. Smaller countries on the Con-
tinent account for the balance.
Distressing as our OWE unemploy-
ment statistics are-they vary, accord
ing to the particular axes their COM
pliers have to grind-the per capita
plight which they represent Is in
finitely less tragic for the United
States than the situation which the
European figures denote. Our immense
population, our relatively undiminished
consuming and buying power and the
strength Of our currency are factors
which enable the American people to
support the burden of unemployment
with comparative ease. The great sums
raised for relief by private charity,
which thus far is mastering at least
the major problems depression has
churned up, are further evidence that
unemployment over here is an immeas-
urably less serious matter than 1t is
in European countries.
Apart from direct unemployment
benefits commonly called doles, which
European governments are paying
nearly all of them-like the United
States-are resorting to emergency
public works programs as relief
measures. France, one Of the last coun-
tries to be affected by the world
economic pinch, is spending $3.50, 000,-
600. Germany, in addition to drastic
governmental retrenchment plans, bur-
densome taxation and extraordinary
regulations Of all kinds, has gone in for
extensive land Improvement schemes,
including the clearing of forests, drain
ing of marsh lands and road repairs,
though all Of these projects are ham
pered by the Reichs lack Of liquid
funds.
Great Britains fight on unemploy-
ment is being waged in the teeth of
heavy odds, owing to the derangement
of national finances through the slump
in the pound sterling A decline of
100000 persons on the dole registers
during the early Winter was attributed
largely to more stringent regulations for
the award OF benefits.
Italy appropriated $3.50 100000 for
emergency public works, but $50 900
men until recently were being aided
by the state treasury Premier Musso-
lini has ordered every Fascist to tighten
his belt and live carefully. Soviet
Russia trumpetS that there is no I'M
employment in that country 1t
might have added that there Is some
thing far worse, namely, enforced labor
under the Communist system which in
spots strongly smacks of slavery.
Americas unemployment conditions
are real and flung. Private charity,
through such agencies as Community
Chests, must not flag On instant at
this period in its efforts TO combat
restitution. The purse strings OF the
American people should be loosed with
all the more generosity as an EXPIRES
sion of thankfulneSs that, measured
alongside the distress prevalent across
the Atlantic, the world economic catas-
trophe has dealt this favored land Of
ours fewer blows than those under
which Europe Is staggering