Montana labor news., 1937-12-09
Starvation Poverty in the Nations
Capital

Newbold Moves, associate editor OF the
Washington Evening Star, a leader in the
business world of the Nations capital and
prominent in charity work, makes this poig-
nantly instructive statement in a commend
able appeal for contributions to provide for
the poor in the capital Of the Nation:
81 have seen almost incredible conditions
of unspeakable poverty and suffering-here
in Washington-with my own eyes. 7 h
problem is acute; people are suffering; help
must be offered-generously given in the in
terest of our common humanity and, specih-
cally, for the preservation of human decency
and morale and law and order in the Nations
capital. We face a tragic winter"
There is probably not a city in the United
States where there is less excuse for the "un-
speakable poverty emphasized by MIR. Noyes
than in Washington.
Poverty in Washington, as in every other
community, arises, largely from three main
sources; low wages paid by employers to
working men and women who are employed;
no wages at all for w~orkingmen and women
who are denied employment; and the high
cost of living which business interests (em-
ployers) impose upon consumers.
In Washington, Congress a%ppropriates mil
lions and millions of dollars to defray the
expenses of the Federal government. A large
portion of this vast amount is ultimately
grabbed by Washington real estate interests,
who are constantly charged with establishing
eXtortionate rentals for living accommoda-
lions, and by merchants whose increasing
prices for food and the other necessaries of
life are the constant complaint OF consumers.
These two elements alone weigh very heavily
on the low-income groups and make charity
necessary to preserve their health and life.
On the other hand, the very business men
who are the beneficiaries of the large eX-
p%enditures of the government are also respon-
sible for the low wages which result in the
"unspeakable poverty stressed by MIR.
Noyes. Recently the retail merchants in the
District of Columbia in an organized capacity
insisted that wages of $14.51 per week was
enough remuneration for salesWomen. In
this position they were supported by a con-
siderable section Of the business interests in
the Nations capital outside Of the retail mer-
chandising field-and official surveys have
revealed that large numbers of W~ashington's
workers are paid wages much below even
the $14.51 figure.
In addition, the business interests of the
District of Columbia are responsible for a
considerable portion Of the unemployed army,
under the very shadow of the Capitol. There
are hundreds of men and women classified
by the District of Columbia Works Progress
Administration as "employables" VIII are
pounding the pavements looking for jobs and
not finding them for the reason that District
of Columbia business men refuse 10 shorten
the work week and thus provide employment
for the unemployed.
The 'unspeakable poverty" deplored by
MIR. ~Noyes-poverty so unspeakable that
without the assistance of private charity
working men and women in the District of
Columbia, and their children, would starve-
is a social disease created by those who own
and operate industry. 1t can be cured by
the same group.
1t is caused by low wages, unemployment,
and excessive living costs. The masters of
industry have it within their power to re-
move permanently all three of these causes.
But so far they have manifested a reluctance
to live up to the responsibilities which the
privileges granted by society under our sys-
tenn of production and distribution impera-
lively demand.