The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1938-11-17
A SOUND APPROACH TO THE
UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM HERE

At a special meeting OF the City Council with a
group of representative citizens and business people
last night called for the purpose Of discussing the
lief problem in Juneau the suggestion was made
large number of transient men who have been lured
here from the States by misleading information in the
hopes Of obtaining work. might be returned to their
former places of residence if funds could be provided
for their transportation Reports from persons some
what conversant with the local problem indicated
that there is a sizeable number, perhaps 100 men
here who would be glad Of the chance to return to
their homes if they had the money for steamship
fare.
The suggestion would appear to be excellent
starting point in arriving a solution of the unem-
ployment problem in Juneau It is acknowledged
fact that the vast majority of the itinerant workmen
now the city attracted here by erroneous re-
ports that plenty of work was to be had A large
percentage Of them stony broke Some so or 80
Of them being fed at the soup kitchen estab-
shed in the Union hall one was reported
to have left wife and five children in California to
come north with his last few dollars in the belief
there plenty Of work be had here He was said
to be anxious to return to his home but just hasn't
the money for transportation Countless others are
in the boat It isn't question of high-handedly
shipping them Outside against their wishes The
reports to the meeting indicated the men are willing
and anxious to return having discovered the bitter
truth that there jobs in Alaska in fact not
enough work to for the resident Alaska workmen
Il was estimated that there are at least 100 men.
without funds in the city who would be willing to 60
At steeraee fare Of s25 it would raising $500
to get them to Seattle It is a sizeable amount of
money but It is great deal less than it would cost
to provide for these mfortunates during the winter
months.
Juneau is going to have enough of problem to
for the needy and jobess resident Aaskans and
their families in this community this winter aside
from caring for the many who pouring in here on
every boat, without money and looking for work.
If these could be shipped back Outside to
their families and friends it would not only be
humanitarian move toward them, but when the report
got around, it would be bound to do in the States
would be potent force in lettering many others
without ample resources from coming north and
Alaska could get back somewhere near to solving her
own unemployment problem and caring Tor her own
people
The opinion also was expressed at last nights
meeting that the best thing for Alaska and the nation
It should be understood that this suggestion was Of
fered and accepted purely personal opinion. 1t
was not the concensus of the meeting but it does
reveal that often we are tempted to work at cross
purposes on the problem of relief
Social Security as We know it during its brief
two-year trial IS far from perfect But it must be
admitted as constructive step toward solving to a
great extent in the course of time the very relief
problems which today are confronting this community
and many other communities. The workman and