Evening star., 1934-08-26
Developing Cottage Industries
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Mindful that hundreds Of thousands
of Americans were made destitute
during the last two or three years be-
cause they were Jacks of but one
trade, an effort has been made to in
crease the self -sufnciency Of the
people by introduction of what are
called self-help groups. Originally
these groups were started by some
enterprising individuals, but, more re-
Gently, the Federal Governments re-
lief agencies have realized the i'm
portance of the work and made grants
of more than Sl,000,000.
France has always been held up to
the rest of the world as a country of
few depresSions, and those only rela-
tive The reason has been recognized
as lying in the widespread develop
ment of cottage industries. The same
situation has long obtained in Russia
and, indeed, in most other countries
to a greater or lesser extent. 1t has
been in America, the land of mass
production and intense specialization,
that lack of ability TO turn their hands
to any number Of Jobs has been q
source of major distress. Time was
when the average American could do
great many things. He was Jack
of all trades and If no work offered in
one line he could take up another. and
if outside employment were totally
lacking he could always employ him
self making something which he could
sell for money or barter for food and
clothing.
rrI,o ,;so oF fIoa o0ry1ora lions apd the
introduction Of mass production ended
that stage of national development.
One of the favorite stories of the draft
during the World War had to do with
the exemption from conScription Of
skilled mechanics, who, it was thought,
were more useful in the machine shops,
; munition factories and ShipyardS than
bearing arms. One drafted man had
reported himself as a mechanic and
was exempted. When asked in detail
Just what kind of a mechanic he was,
what his job had been, he replied that
for some years he had been engaged
in Tightening the thirty-sixth bolt on
the Ford automobile. He was, in fact,
classed as a mechanic in the factory,
but his mechanical knowledge con-
sisted merely of knowing how to twist
wrench. Under the mass produc-
ton system that constituted a job in
itself and a we'll paid one.
But when mass production factories
in which workers performed but a
single simple task with endless repe-
tition while travelling belt Of mate
rials in process of fabrication swept
by was halted by depression, such
mechanic, such worker fSlnd him
self untitled for anything else. Learn
ing how to twist a bolt does not
constitute a trade.
Necessity Takes a Hand.
The depression years caused con-
siderable numbers Of the destitute to
congregate and social forces brought
to the surface certain leaders who
began organizing barter ard self-help
activities. In some cases, plots OF
vacant land were turned ever for
cultivation to these communities.
Many men and women learned for
the first time how to WELD hoe, an
ak, or a scythe and now to hold a
plough. Garden stuff raised was
traded for manufactured goods.
Services were performed in return
for other services. Finally, manufac-
ture in a small way began and de-
veloped gradually into the beginnings
of cottage industries in the United
States.
There are now seh-help commun-
tiles in II States which are on almost
self-supporting basis through this
unusual display of enterprise. When