The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-02-10
BETTER SERVICE NEEDED

BETTER SERVICE NEEDED
The urgent need Of having the Jeffersons and
Ashe county placed back on the weekly service
point map of the North Carolina State Employ
ment Service and Unemployment Insurance
Commission was clearly demonstrated during
the past week, and local citizens should write to
the director of these divisions in Raleigh, re-
questing him to authorize Mr. Gentry, man.
ager Of the branch Office in North Wilkesboro,
to have this service changed from monthly to
a weekly basis, as was the schedule UP until the
frstsof the year.
Under the former schedule, a representative
came to jefferson every Thursday, but effect
i've in January, this service was reduced to the
first Tuesday in each month, and, at the same
time, the tremendous task Of handling the
claims for jobless insurance was added to the
work of this organization. In other words, Ashe
countys needs for the services of the State EN-
ployment Commission has been practically
doubled and yet its schedule has been cut three
fourths. AS natural result, those seeking
WPA and NYA employment are greatly incon-
cenienced and those who are eligible for job
less insurance payments have to wait at least
a month longer than would otherwise be neces-
sary to get the benefits of this social security
program.
The Post takes the position that this extern
sive delay tends to defeat the original purpose
for which the Insurance Compensation Commits
sion was established. The principal purpose of
this program is to give those who are temporari-
ly unemployed something to live while they
are getting another job. Within two months
time person can certainly starve to death and
by the time he receives the money to which he
is entitled under the law, he will probably have
another job, without the assistance of the State
Employment Service and then he won't have
dire need for the money due him for the two
months layoff.
This organization is endeavoring to render a
This organization is endeavoring to rem
der most laudable task of distributing
funds to the unemployed during the time
of their idleness and at the same time, finding
suitable jobs for them. But two months, like
the governor of North Carolina once said to the
governor of South Carolina is "too long
between drinks" and in this case, Eats.
Last Tuesday and Wednesday over 300 local
citizens, most of whom are entitled to jobless
insurance payments, filed their first claims at
the courthouse in Jefferson. A large percent
age of these claims should have been filed in
January and would have been if there had been
a representative present. Instead of getting
their checks this month, they will now have
to wait until the first Tuesday in April!
It always seems like long time between
pay-days, but two months is entirely too long,
especially when practically all, sections in the
piedmont area have their pay-days for jobless
insurance every month. Of course there are
more people in industrial centers who are eli
gible for the payments than there are in an
agricultural section, but that is not legimi-
mate reason for discrimination. Furthermore,
we are of the opinion that as many claims have
been filed in Ashe as in Wilkes county.
Besides letters, why not get up a petition
and send to Raleigh? Ashe county is not a
'lost province" and the sooner Raleigh finds
that out the better off we will be, in many re-
spects!