MANY IN NEED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 December 1939, Page 7

MANY IN NEED

UNEMPLOYMENT IN U.S.A. HUGE NATIONAL PROBLEM. FEDERAL RELIEF PROGRAMME CUT DOWN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day. 9.15 a.m.) NEW YORK, December 5. Despite the highest industrial employment since .1029, two of America’s greatest industrial centres. Cleveland and Toledo, due to I lie depletion of current, relief appropriations ' for 36,001) needy, are facing an unemployment crisis even unequalled til the height of the depression. Both cities have been in a turmoil during the past fortnight, with many people living mi a single meal daily. There are indignation meetings, threats and unemployed marches. Officials fear the arrival of winter, which will increase the already desperate suffering and is likely to precipitate violence unless a solution is found. The Cleveland authorities recently were forced to halt relief for 16.000 adults to assure a continuance of food for children, but a general outcry caused them to evolve an emergency rationing system, forcing many to depend on the charity of their neighbours and friends for food beyond a single meal daily. Toledo is in a similar plight, due ic the election defeat of a plan to levy a tax to maintain relief. Officials suspended direct relief for 20.000 persons substituting a limited relief plan similar to that in Cleveland. Both cities are importuning the Governor to convene a special session of the Legislature to appropriate relict funds, but the Governor so far lias refused. alleging that the cities are shirking their share of the burden. The situation in Ohio is focussing attention on the national unemployment problem. Despite business improvement and industrial activity, partly due to the war, which has brought the number of employed in the United States to the highest level since 1929. the unemployed is still estimated at nine millions. Relief officials fear that the winter will bring the woist privations in the country’s history. since the Federal Government is gradually reducing its Relief and Works Progress Administration programmes in an effort to shift the major portion of the burden on to local agencies in order to absorb defence expenditures and avoid increasing national taxes before the 1940 Presidential election. Local agencies, however, arc not prepared and are unwilling. Thus the needy are suddenly denied Federal aid and are caught, in the gravest plight.