The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-08

NEW YORK-The Roosevelt gov
eminent, which for ten months has
been promising to abolish" unem-
ployment, has not even been able to
check it. Seventeen million are still
unemployed. Mass lay-offs continue.
Rooevelt issues one decree after an
other, one new scheme comes as soon
as the last reveals its failure to
abolish" unemployment.
The N.R.A. decreed last June, was to
put six million to work before fall by
shortening hours. Roosevelt issued a
statement in the face of increased
unemployment that this had been
accomplished. But with industry at
25 per cent capacity and mass lay
offs continuing, Roosevelt's recovery
baIlyhoo needed propping.
P.W. A. and C. W. A.
Roosevelt then concentrated the
baIlyhoo on the Public Works Ad-
ministratton. This, he claimed, would
put few more million TO work by
supplying jobs The jobs failed to
materialize.
Roosevelt, by a decree, then started
a new scheme, the Civil Works Ad-
ministration. This also failed to keep
the promises of four million more re-
turned to work by Dec. IS.
Now the transient camps" have
been set up on Jan. /, and the C.C.C.
camps are to be greatly extended.
In all Of these schemes of Roosevelt,
the policy of finance capital has two
main aspects. First, the "re-employ-
ment" program is part Of the gen.
eral mobilization Of the ruling class
for war-a preparation to get out of
the crisis by sending the unemployed
into a new imperialist world war for
foreign markets. p To place the bur-
dens of the crisis on the destitute
workers, to save the bankers and the
government Of finance capital from
any responsibility for the security Of
the workers.
Militarizing the Youth
The mobilization for war is seen
clearly in RooSeYelt's unemployed
program. The C.C.C. camps, set up
by RooseYelt's decree, are according
TO Assistant Secretary Of War Harry
Woodring. "the first real test Of the
army's plans for war mobilization
under the National Defense Act as
amended in 1920. -. The C.C.C. mob
ilization demonstrated that the army
is ready to defend the nation" Wood
ring states that the C.C.C. has
created a reserve army recruited,
conditioned, equipped and modified"
He proposed that these camps be
widely extended, and Roosevelt has
stated his intention Of extending these
camps to include at least a million
young men. They receive at these
camps army pay of S100 a day; $500
month of which goes ID the families
Of the youth, who are then taken of
relief lists. Authorization Of the I'M
employed at $10O a day--this was
Roosevelt's present to the youth.
New Forced Labor Camp
The new forced labor transient
camps are also now being extended
and fit well into finance capitals war
plans. The rounding up of homeless
unemployed has already begun. New
transient" camps are being set up
this month. The decree Of federal
relief director Hopkins is that all
hitch-hikers, all freight riders, all
homeless unemployed must 60 to
these camps or go to jail. The pay is
only a few cents a week. These tran
sient camps" serve the purpose of
forming a cheap forced labor supply
and of giving another base for the
militarization of the unemployed and
the setting up Of another large re-
serve of soldiers for war. The home
less unemployed get the choice Of
jail or forced labor.
The Public Works Administration
also fitted well into Roosevelt's war
mobilization plans. The P.W.A., a
subdivision of the NR.A., which was
supposed to give jobs to the unem-
ployed, has given over a billion dol
lars for war purposes, for the army,
navy, coast, aviation, etc, and mil
lions more to the railroads. The
C.W.A. has continued this policy,
especially regarding the building Of
many aviation fields. The P.W.A. did
not give Jobs but built the wal ma
chine of finance capital.
Opposes Jobless Insurance
Roosevelt's DEGREES on unemploy-
ment serve the purpose not only OF