Montana labor news., 1934-05-17
Wings Over Washington

w lngS OvtT w dolliAAS lOAi
WASHINGTON-(FP)-Th Search
for a pretty and popular name Tor
Subsistence homesteads7 continues,
though the Department OF the Interior
that its mail has been
"swelled' with suggestions. The ex-
preston carries too u%ninspiring a
connotation,' it explains, Tor a sub
sistence' homestead to the uninitiated
often means a home where life is lived
on a subsistence-bare existence
level.
"Elysian Homesteads, y sylvan
Homesteads' and even Freedom
Farms" have been some OF the sugges-
tons that have been made to the de-
partment by volunteer press agents.
Seeking to destroy "a false impress
sion that "a low standard OF living
is somehow connected with the subsis-
tence homesteads, the department S
memorandum to the press explains :
Actually the homesteads are not, as a
rule. intended to supply more than a
few hundred dollars worth OF food to
a family; but a few hundred dollars
worth OF food is a lot to a family
whose total income amounts to some
thing like five or six hundred dollars
per year.
Sunshine statistics are being rapidly
produced in the Department OF Labor
while-and where-the SUI shines. One
Of the latest handouts tells OF gains
all along the business front in De
troit. with big percentages mentioned.
These figures coincide with the sea-
sonal peak OF the highly seasonal au-
tomoblle industry, and reports OF big
layoffs are already reaching Wash
ington.
Name seekers and cheer-bringers
may be discouraged to note that nc
pretty name Tor unemployment has
vet been found and made to stick
though it is true that much more
cheerful statistics have been produced
than the 13,10l 900 jobless estimates
for March by the conservative AleXan-
DER IldillllLOu llolllulN.
The Chicago Tribune tried for awhile
to popularize the word "idlers' bu'
that was intended to be said with ;
sheer, not with a smile. And SOM
people spoke about the new leisure
class. But gaunt misery cannot for.
ever be hypnotized by smiles any NOR
than it can be exercised by sneers. 3
unemployment insurance is now TIN
good word in Washington, though Ia
Dor would still be we'll advised to lool
beyond the name and demand to know
what kind?
The u. S. Chamber Of Commerce,
has been wrongly credited with en-
dorsing unemployment insurance A
a matter of fact, it was honest enougI
to use the. term unemployment re
serves. 1t definitely opposed the en-
actment of legislation Tor compulsor.
unemployment benefits The "volun
tary plans" which it advocates diffe
little from the company pension plan
plans company-inspired, company
controlled, used and abused for com
pany purposes, cut down when fund
are low and breaking down completed
when the workers needs are creates.
But getting back to the bad word
subsistence and its mistaken % con
notations, let us look at ONE Of tn
recent codelets. For each whale OF
code held up to public view, scores c
little fish pass unnoticed through tn
NRA net. In the last few days, fc
instance, codes have been advanced {
approved among others for the blu
crab industry, for pine wood distllla
ton, for the soft lime rock industr.
for welt manufacturing, for plast
novelties, for edible gelatin, and for II
potato chip industry. The lily swatt(
industry did make the news column
when it suggested a wise-crack
some reporter, but the others-eve
the potato chips-inspired no con
ment.
Edible gelatin, potato chips al
welts CLOSELY related to stays, we a
sedately informed) are among the ari
tocrats, with wage minima OF 35c Z
hour. But soft lime rock workers
the south may be paid 25c an hour f.
a maximum Of 40 hours; females e.
gagged in light work. OH plastic move
ties may be paid zoe an hour in al
part of the country; while in phi
wood distillation code wages are pr
posed OF "24c an hour to handicapp,
workers and females employed in pac
ing charcoal in paper bags, and Soc
hour to other workers" The or
code, which has been approved, Sc
wages for those engaged in pickii
crab meat from the shells at lSc
hour or &c a pound Of crab me-
whichever will return the high
amount to the workers"
Are these Subsistence wages? 0
dictionary gives Subsistence"
means Of support; livelihood; as
meager subsistence. "Starvatio
wages would be palmer if less pref
English. But plain English is pc
politics, according to Washingt
wiseacres.
Unemployment Relief.