Evening star., 1937-11-09
D. C.POST OFFICE
GEARED UP FOR
JOBLESS CENSUS
Plans Perfected to Start
Survey Nov. is With :
2,20O Carriers.
AID BEING ENLISTED
ON MANY FRONTS
Cooperation of Church, Civic
Groups and Others Sought to
Speed Up Returns.

An army Of 1900 local mail carriers
will cooperate ON November 16 in
the Inauguration Of the National Un-
employment Census, it was announced
yesterday afternoon, by leaving Official
unemployment registration cards at
every known home and business ofice
in the District of Columbia.
Postmaster Vincent C.. Burke out
lined his plans at the first meeting
held by the Commissioner Committee
on the National Unemployment Census.
Under the direction of Chairman w.
w. Spaid, the committee heard and
approved suggestions for bringing the
census to the attention of the entire
city. The Washington Post Once,
Mr.. Burke assured the committee, has
the situation well in hand and is pre-
pared to do an effective Job on its
part.
Through additional means Of the
press, the pulpit, civic forums, window
displays and the radio, the committee
agreed on a course of publicity that
was counted on to speed the circulation
and return Of the thousands of regis
tration cards.
Estimate Of 25,0eo.
Just how many unemployed there
are in the District of Columbia the
committee announced yesterday it
doesn't know ''but will soon find out
if the census is successful" There
were suggestions, one by Robert j.
Cottrell, secretary to the Board of
Trade, that the number was approx
mately $4,000. Miss Alice Hill, direc-
tor Of the public assistance division
Of the Board of Public Welfare, ac-
counted for 1000 "unemployables" but
said the District agency has no record
Of the number of employables desiring
and unable to obtain work.
THE Washington Post once already
has worked out the details Of its Job"
Postmaster Burke said. I'VE have
had hundreds Of inquiries but I advise
the committee not to send out single
registration card before November l6."
The 80 city Substations have been
plentifully supplied with the registra-
ton cards, he explained; the superin-
tendents know exactly what to do and
the cards will be distributed to each Of
the 1900 mail carriers for delivery.
''They have been instructed to leave
cards In every mail receptacle in the
city, at homes, In apartment houses
and In business ofices," he said. TN
this way practically every home in the
city will be covered on November 16."
To Check On System.
The work of the Post ONCE does not
stop there. The afternoon Of Novem-
Der 18, Mr.. Burke explained, a force
Of 200 carriers will concentrate in con-
gested sections Of the Northwest and
Southwest and visit 5000 homes for
the purpose of . careful check. At
each home the mail carrier will have
. friendly chat" with the tenant and
inquire If any registration cards have
been returned.
The Post Once, he said, also has
worked out plans for . careful check
Of returned registration cards to avoid
Implications and detect any fake"
registrations. This check Is to be
made on November AZ.
Mr.. Burke believed his carefully
worked out plans would result in
speedy return Of the cards. Each mail
carrier will urge this from door to door.
Lawrence Rubel, chairman Of the
Publicity Committee, and Mrs. Gladys
Carey, director of women's activities
for the National Unemployment Gen.
sus under Administrator John D. Big
gers, took part in the session.
Local newspapers will be asked to
devote editorial and news space for
publcixing the census, Mr.. Rubel ex-
planned. Editorials commenting on
the need for the census and urging
the unemployed to Cooperate in re-
turning cards promptly were visualized
as an important phase of publicity.
Boxes in the classified sections Of pa
pers calling attention to the census
also will be utilized, and beginning
November IA q series OF five Sunday
news articles will be used.
To Distribute Posters.
Postmaster Burke also promised the
cooperation OF mail carriers in dis
tributing the picture display posters
for shop windows and in distributing
literature explaining the census.
All churches in Washington are be-
ing asked, Mr.. Rubel said, to observe
unemployment Sunday" on November
IA by calling attention to the census
from the pulpit and ut church meet
ings. These plans will be taken tp
with the Warrington Federation Of
Churches and the Catholic Churches,
although it was pointed out that the
National census staff has already
brought the question before all denom-
national boards. Assurances were
given yesterday that the 153 colored
churches in Washington would CO.
operate.
An important part in the census
was undertaken by the Instructive
Visiting Nurse Society. It's nurses
visit from 500 to 500 homes q day and
on all visits they will inform patients
about the census and endeavor to see
that cards are in the hands of all who
need them.
Mr.. Burke stressed the need for ra-
dio cooperation also, explaining that
when the so-called soldiers bonus GER
tificates were issued the local Post
once was assisted by the radio in
eventually delivering $1,000 leftover"
certificates.
The Central Labor Union pledged It's
active cooperation in getting cards
filled out by unemployed members.