The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-04-30

who have come into the great army of workers since-2,177,000 of them. This is the great problem of the day. This widespread army of over ten million soulS-dole-souls as someone calls them-are going to put some white strands into the heads of our politicians, however carefree they may be.
 "But one question pops up. Back in 1882 when unemployment was about the same, the streets were filled with panhandlers, the cities were defaced with long queues of men in breadlines, the presence of the unemployed was everywhere visible. Of course, things are not as bad as they were in 1883, but they are about what they were in 1882. But where are the bread lines? Where are the panhandlers? Where are the soup kitchens? Where are the pitiful tales of star vation and family disaster? There are no evidences of this vast un- employed army. Where is 1t camped?
 Where the Burden Lies
 ''The answer is that most of It is camped in the United States Treasury.
 Tt is clear from this that the se- were pressure of the depression is mitigated by the relief rolls. That is why there are no soup kitchens, no breadlines, no evidence of dis aster and want such as we saw in other years. But 1t enables us to realize what would happen if these millions of people were turned loose upon the world.
 Well, what's the bill for all this? And who. by the way, is paying it?
 Four Billion for Relief
 If we isolate what has been spent directly on relief and work projects from all other government emergency spendings, we find that since July l, 1883, up to October l, 1885, the United States government spent $4,726,015, ,731.14. But the states and cities and counties have also been spending some money for relief. It would be a fair estimate to say that all our governments have spent something in the neigh borhood of six billion dollars on doles and made-work for the job less in the past three years.
 That is what it has cost. But who has paid for it? The answer is surprising. No one has paid for it. With the exception of a tiny fraction collected in sales taxes 1t has all been financed with borrowed money.
 That is why we haven't dealt with the problem - because we haven't been paying the bills. One hears of a great burden on the tax payers. But we have laid no taxes to pay for relief. When we get around to dealing with the problem of unemployment, we will have tc stop borrowing and start taxing That is why politicians prefer to keep silent about the subject"
 Three Million Too Many
 After his study of the situation, MT. Flynn assumes that business in it's normal process of recovery can absorb half of the ten million not now privately employed. Certain other remedies, such as shortening of hours, and unemployment insur- ance, might take care of another two million, he adds.
 But when all is said and done, " he says, there will still be several million-perhaps three million-Who will have to be considered. Here IS the great problem which is as yet untouched.
 "Is the government to give them doles or work? Work is the answer in my judgement.
 What government is to provide it? The funds, as see 1t, will have to come from the nation.
 "Who should administer them? Some sort of personnel unconnected with the political machine will have to be provided.
 What kind of work? No boondog- gling certainly. I can only indicate the answer. We must survey the field of public needs and find out what are those things which the nation needs but which private business does not produce because they are not profitable. There we must find the kind of work which will be provided for the unem- ployed."