Evening star., 1939-02-01

BY net reductions averaging 100,-
900 to 10000 month in work.
relief employment, the Works Prog
ress Administration has succeeded
in leveling the rolls to a 100000
goal set for the winter months.
From an all-time employment
peak of approximately 1852 900
men and women in early November,
the count on January IA placed the
rolls at 3,017035. Included in both
totals are about 10000 working on
projects of Federal agencies employ
ing relief labor.
President Roosevelt, in requesting
s875, 900 900 FOR w. P. A. operations
to July l, assured Congress of fur
ther reductions after winter emer-
gencies are met. Beginning in April,
he said. a diminished number would
be employed, reaching the figure of
2,7OO,000 in June. Reductions be-
yond this estimated monthly loss OF
10000 jobs depend on how far the
relief appropriations, cut by Con-
gress, will stretch.
Many Accept Private Jobs.
Elimination of some 350,000 re-
lief workers to date resulted from
the fact that thousands have left
the rolls voluntarily to accept pri-
vate jobs at better wages. In addi-
ton other thousands were dis
charged for various reasons. some
being transferred to old-age pen
sion rolls, others being laid off for
sickness or for reasons of discipline.
At the rate of monthly reductions
since the November peak, it might
be assumed that the entire 100000
now on relief rolls could be elimi-
mated in another two years and the
relief problem would be wiped off
the Government books.
But officials say it is not so simple
as that
Reflect Business Conditions.
Relief rolls, under existing policy,
reflect business conditions.
During the past two years the
work-relief load dropped sharply, by
reason of a general upturn in busi-
ness conditions, to an all-time low OF
1,448,511 excluding Federal project
workers. in October, 1887. But with
in a year it scared as speedily to
an all-time high record. In that
year 1,815,0O0 persons were added,
rejecting largely the effects OF the
business recession on unemploy-
ment. The September hurricane
which devastated large areas OF
New England also was an important
contributing factor.
Since November improved private
re- employment has taken many
thousands off work-relief rolls, Off
Gals say. But the reduction was
assisted by w. P. A. retrenchment to
keep within monthly budgets, and no
requirements were permitted.
Almost from the beginning w. P.
A. employment has presented a baf-
fling problem of cycles. In Decem-
ber, 1885, few months after the
newly launched agency got under
full steam, the employed on work
relief numbered 2,740,O00
In March, 1886, the number barely
topped 100000, to decline to low
of 2,24O 900 in the following July. BY
December l employment had in
creased again to $780, 900, despite
net reduction of 100000 under the
previous month.
Reduction in 1887.
The year 1887 started with another
reduction to 2,152,0O and as private
industry picked up the work-relief
rolls dwindled steadily to low marks
of October. From then on it was a
different tale. On January l, 1888,
the number totaled 1,670 900, increas-
ing by approximately 100000 in five
months Between June and Novem-
ber nearly 100000 more were added,
making total of 1882 $3.50.
Regardless of the factors entering
into the picture this much of three
full years of work-relief expendi-
lures remains clear: There are more
of the so-called "employable unem-
ployed" on the rolls now than there
were at the beginning and no one
in authority can predict with any