The daily independent., 1937-04-21
REGISTERED


Big Headache
of all WPA's numerous head
aches, none is more vexing than
the question of relief to strikers
sit-down and otherwise.
The problem has plagued Har-
w Hopkins ana Ills lieutenants
ever since they set up business. On
one hand are the embattled la
borites clamoring for relief. On
the other are the embattled en-
ployers raging against the use OF
public money to support their
foes.
The fact that the union men
have powerful Administration
ties. while the bosses usually are
anti-New Deaelrs, has not helped
to simplify the issue.
Officially, the WPA does not
recognize" strikers. That is, 1t
will not give them relief just be-
cause they are on strike. However,
it does not differentiate between
needy unemployed.
This means that while the WPA
will not give a man aid because he
is on strike, nevertheless, if he
and his family are in want, relief
will not be withheld because he
:; engaged in an industrial fight.
In practice. therefor, relief is eX-
tended to strikers under certain
circumstances.
Auto Strike
WPA records reveal, however,
that strike relief has been a
negligible part of its vast eX-
penditures. For example: during
the recent auto strikes in Michl-
gan. WPA rolls actually declined.
On January l, there were 65,l99
WPA workers in Michigan: on
February /, 65.O78; on March /,
64.363: and on April l, $4,000.
WPA executives attribute this
situation to two factors: first, the
Michigan State Government alb
sorbed the increased relief bur-
den its relief expenditures jump
ed S6OO.OOO during the strike per-
lodi: second, the financially
strong CIO took care Of its bat
Ting forces.
The auto warfare, however, was
a special case. and the conditions
that operated to hold down relief
demands are rarely found in other
strikes.
Red Tape
However there is another force
I that mitigateS powerfully against
the granting of WPA aid to en-
battlcd laboriteS. This is red tape
WPA does not give direct reIle1'
and it takes several weeks to set
ia motion a work-relief project
Except in protracted strikes, the
dispute is usually settled before
the WPA can get into the picture
Also. WPA gives local authorl-
ties considerable latitude in de-
tcrmining the extent of aid to
strikes. This also operates to holo
down expenditures.
However. in instances where To-
cal officials are deliberately OBJ
structive and a long drawn out
labor battle is in progress, the
WPA under union pressure. has
stepped in anG forced them to act
This was the case in the pro-
tracted Remington-R Rand strike II
New York. where local authorities
refused to certify strikers for WPA
Jobs until ordered by Hopkins tc
do so.
Merry Co Round
When photographers tired tc
shoot" the new Maritime Com
mission gathered about a Woric
globe and peering at it, Chairman
Joe Kennedy refused to pose
That's too dramatic, said he.
/ The commission is housed in the
Identical offices once tenanted by
/ General Hugh Johnson Of the i'll
fated NRA. BY a White House
order. Army and Navy pilots are
now barred from taking civilians
on crosS-country flights in gov
ernment planes. oldest item II
the recent World Textile Confer
encc was the fact that the leading
exponent of shorter hours was g
textile operator from Cuba Amer
ican-born Dayton Hedges, whom
CubanS call Eel TOrO," the bull.