Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-11-23
Worker Protests
Voucher Delays
BY an Unemployed Worker


SEATTLE, Nov. l-As a meas.
ure of economy in administration
the Welfare Board has cOncen-
trated its business into a few
stations which make it necessary
for some of the unemployed to
go as much as ten miles to get
their vouchers. This requires
some of those getting vouchers
to go on the street cars.
There are so many applicants
that it takes an excessively long
time to get through the line at
the station. One time it took
the writer two and half hours
to get through the red tape mill.
During this time the street car
transfer expired. For awhile the
conductors accepted, more or less
willingly, an overtime transfer.
The last time the conductor re-
fused to accept an over time
transfer and had a policeman on
the ear who stood beside him.
Worker Forces Issue
The writer forced the conduct
or to endorse on the back of the
transfer the fact that it was re-
fused and then took it to Mr..
Harding of the Welfare Board
who promptly gave the writer a
token and said that he would
take it up with the street car
authorities. Past experience with
all authorities" indicates that
each will pass the buck onto
someone else and delay or finally
refuse all action to redress the
wrong. Meanwhile the workers
will continue to pay, and pay,
and pay.
This is written to ask all work
ers who are forced to buy an add
itiOnal ticket to get home from
the voucher station to force the
conductor to endorse on the back
of the refused transfer the fact
that it was refused and don't for
get to make him put his name or
number on it. One case alone viii
not secure attention by the "au-
thOrities" and a large number of
such refused transfers are need
ed before we can take up the
matter. Each worker can not ap-
peal to Mr.. Harding personally
and he has something else to do
than to hand out tokens to each
one at time.
Why should the unemployed
who live at a distance pay the
fare they cannot afford in order
that the Welfare Board may
economic on expenses?
Workers Bear Brunt
1t is putting on the workers
who live beyond reasonable
walking distance the expense
that is saved by the efficiency OF
the Welfare Board. The mere
fact that workers must accept
the dole at all indicates that they
are the ones least able to pay any
fare at all. Yet they are selected
as the ones to pay for the Wei
fare Boards efficient economy.
Bring in your refused transfers
endorsed by the conductor and
it may be that we can get relief.
The next week the same man
presented an over time transfer
but the conductor was cautious
and refused to endorse the trans
fer. He was told to "call a police
man and haul me off," but the
cops were at the waterfront, so
l rode free. This time L took the
transfer to Mr.. Pierce at the
headquarters of the street car
authorities" who stated that it
was beyond his authority.
Next | took it to Mr.. Fits of
the city council who stated that
| had at last arrived at the pro-
per authority" After a little
consideration, Mr.. Fits told me
to form a committee to bring it
before the city council.
l replied that the Unemployed
Citizens League and the Voice OF
Action were the only people
who would take any action. "Oh,
no. said Mr.. Fits, Just write
the city council letter bringing
the matter to their attention"
He directed me to the City
Controllers office where l found
a typewriter that was not work
ing and wrote short letter de-
the matter. Mr.. Fits
said that he would do all that he
could to make it right with the
unemployed but at the end of
week, we have not
heard from him.
Let's Do Something
To this date, Nov. Is, nothing
has been heard from the Welfare
Board, the city council or Mr..
Fits, not so much as a polite,
No" Now will the only organiza-
lions that champion the workers
cause. the UCL take up the. mat
ter of getting the Welfare Board
to put an agent into each locality
one day a week. This is but just
ice to those living at distance
from the Welfare station.