Report,
Mr. Harry L. Hopkins
FERA Administrator
Dear Mr. Hopkins:
This report, the third, covers two of the worst trouble centers in
garment industry, and a portion of the works relief division.
Good administration of relief, with tactful handling of complaints, is
taking the heart out of the local Unemployed Councils. The councils are
vocal, but their actual strength is small and greatly over-estimated. In
guts have been knocked out of the councils by good handling of clients
and complaints in reception. In another precinct in
councils are causing trouble and getting by with it simply because the
administrator and her staff lets them get under their skins.
The precinct with a 15,000 case load includes the Red Hook, Puerto
Rican, Negro and Italian sections. Formerly it was constantly in an
uproar with riots and everything else. The councils found it easy to
stir up trouble at any time. The situation has changed completely within
six months. The reception room handles a thousand persons a day and is
as quiet as a library. The reception supervisor is accessible to anyone
with a complaint. The police have all but withdrawn, and the Unemployed
Council delegations are received in a quiet and orderly manner. This
precinct is an enlightened example of an administration using its head
in handling agitation, with the result that the councils have actually
lost strength and power in this section. The rank and file of clients
are 100% with the investigators and staff. And this is the sort of
low-class section where one would expect a lot of trouble.
The other precinct comprises such middle class areas as Bensonhurst,
strictly residential. The other day there was picketing in front of the
bureau, which is located in a public school. Although only a handful of
men were involved, this is the sort of stuff that makes newspaper
headlines. One of the leaders participated in the hunger
march to
last month. the council has made some little gain in this section, but
this could be eliminated within two weeks by tactful handling by
administration. After talking with clients and visiting homes, it seems
clear that good administration can eliminate almost all trouble from
residential sections of
I watched
closely the demonstration Saturday (24th) in
part of the nation-wide protest against inadequate relief and lack of
jobs. It was a fizzle. The were not more than 3,000 persons in the
parade and meeting. The whole thing was supposed to have been started
and engineered by Socialists, but the majority in line were Communists
and Unemployed Councils (uninvited). Having witnessed and covered
numerous other demonstrations, this one was a weak sister. The
Unemployed Council of Harlem, one of the largest and most vocal in the
city, had scarcely twenty person in line. Furthermore, the demonstration
was supposed to be part of a nation-wide unemployment protest, and was
such it was a distinct failure. My own feeling is that a vastly improved
administration of home relief has kept the marginal people out of
organization protests. The raw material available in
been touched by agitation of the old order and much sympathy expressed
two years ago has disappeared and been won over by relief workers.
In the congested
section of
young men, 18 to 25. There has been an influx of these singles on relief
and the situation is considered serious. In large measure they are
immune to Unemployed Councils, but they have nothing to do and are
getting inadequate budgets. Young people in families are resentful of
responsibility for their families. They see no reason why they should
work and turn over almost all of their earnings to the family. Those who
are single and living alone are having a difficult time. Much
despondency and despair has been noted in the furnished room district.
As to the receptiveness of the young people to Fascism, Communism, or
Socialism, there is a wide difference of opinion. From my own talks with
young people, I should say there is little likelihood of their following
a leader as yet. Jobs, of course, is the one solution. Otherwise these
young men who have never worked and who have no resources to continue in
school, are going to be a big problem. Because they will accept home
relief and pick up odd jobs on the side for spending money. Most of them
are just "hanging around", although no difficulty has been found in
getting them to work when jobs are offered.
For the rank and file of relief clients, pleading has changed to
demanding. The clients certainly expect checks on time and are certainly
more and more dependent on the government. There is a growing dependency
on the home relief investigator. Often their main source of new and
information is through him. But the rank and file of clients are not
more discontented or restless than before.
Relief
rolls in
and clients invariably answer that "business is worse." This is a
reflection of neighborhood merchants and of places where they apply for
jobs. In Bensonhurst I took a dozen new applicants for relief aside for
interviews and found that most of them had been working until a few
months ago. Two were young chaps, 20 and 22, who wanted jobs. Both
blamed the NRA for their unemployment. One had been a Postal Telegraph
messenger boy who was let out because NRA codes forbid delivering of
certain kinds of samples via Postal. The other was a Bohack grocer chain
clerk who blamed NRA. One blamed
blamed machines. Both hated home relief, both were sure that business
would recover and that
friends were in CCC or doing work relief. Another applicant had a shoe
store which was forced under. He is confident, as they all are, that he
will get a job soon. Just wants home relief to tide him over for a few
months and he "will work at anything." Not resentful and didn't blame
the banks for tightening up on his credit. But his bad luck broke up his
home and he is down to last pennies. A widow with a 19-year-old
daughter, lost her job because automatic machines had been installed in
her uniform polishing plant where she had worked many years. Thinks
must fix things. "You're willing to work and trying to make a living,
and what's the result?", she sighed. The next applicants were a young
couple, married six months. He lost his gob in a poultry concern two
months ago. Furniture company threatens to take furniture, lights turned
off, and things look black to them just as they are starting out in
married life. A house-to-house peddler, over 50, had his home foreclosed
by bank and expects dispossess daily. Can't make any more money peddling
because too many people on relief and no buying power. A boy who had
worked in a match factory and went to CCC is applying for self and
mother. Business bad and his two sisters and husbands also on relief. A
stone cutter out of work two years finally comes on relief. A single
woman over fifty who used to work in a hospital is down to last cent and
is obviously ashamed to have to apply. A plasterer and contractor bitter
against union rackets and kick-backs says he can't make a go of things
any longer unless the government begins building, and eliminates
racketeering. All of which indicates the type of person just coming on
relief. Most of them were working until recently. Out of a case load of
15,000 in one precinct, 600 cases were closed in October but only 245
due to jobs. Despite these figures, several administrators thought
business was better and coming back gradually, although one
administrator said "I don't see how private jobs are coming back. I
don't feel that they will."
There is a
great deal of rent trouble in residential areas of
and consequently widespread deception on part of clients. Impossible for
rent budgets to cover rent needs there, although okay for tenement
sections. Health situation is not serious, although I heard much about
psychopathic trouble for the future. Clothing is very bad for a fourth
of the clients. Household equipment getting bad, but not acute except in
the lowest classes which never had anything anyway. Refusals of jobs in
residential section of
is among Italians who prefer to remain on home relief.
A
can't keep a normal employable family on relief indefinitely. By keeping
them on relief you are telling them they have no future. It is a
paralyzing development to the family and the father loses his position
of respect. Psychologically, unemployment insurance is good, for it
recognizes the employability of the family and places it on a dignified
standard as long as insurance meets the actual needs of the family. Home
relief ought to care only for the unemployables and the government
should classify all the others on work relief." This supervisor thinks
it would be relatively easy to put all employables at work, beautifying
cities, etc. Doesn't believe relief has hit the bottom yet but expects
no trouble from clients.
Both the
Amalgamated Clothing Workers of
Ladies Garment Workers reported less suffering among their own workers
than in other industries, probably due to pro-rating of work in all
shops. Both reported, however that the present season which started out
fine has flopped badly and has been a disappointment. Business, while
not dismally bad, has not picked up. Shops should be running top speed
this month but many are not working at all. Both had high praise for the
government relief administration, both thought public works with a wage
level above subsistence was the solution. At the International, Fred
Umhey, exec. sec., said: "Business will recover ultimately, but frankly,
I've had that hope since 1929 and it's hard to maintain optimism after
five years.... I don't care how far the government goes in public works.
Relief will go on forever if only a subsistence budget is given. Only
the food distribution industry gets any benefit from that."
At the Amalgamated, Jacob Potofsky, ass't pres., said: "Relief is the
crux of the economic problem facing the country. I'm afraid
technological unemployment and over-expansion and efficiency has reached
a point where industry couldn't possibly absorb all the unemployment
unless something tangible is done." He favors NRA, thinks govt. has done
many good things, thinks more government regulation is essential, and
that business is improving.
Both union men thought the idea of government factories was good only if
the government used the people in the industry and maintained prevailing
wages. The Amalgamated thought the government could get together with
the union and employers and produce quantities of clothing, absorb
unemployed, and keep wage scales as they are.
Samuel Klein, executive secretary of the Industrial Council of Cloak,
Suit and Skirt manufacturers, and spokesman for a large portion of the
industry, says he is in full accord with the government program and
prefers work relief. Thinks the taxpayers have a right to get a return
on their money through projects of lasting worth. "Our industry is not
optimistic. Except for a short period after NRA code signed, business
has not increased. We are doing no more business than we did a few
seasons before NRA. We are fearful of a demand for still cheaper
merchandise in the spring, and some of the old-standing firms may go
under soon unless business picks up." Cites tremendous competition from
(1) manufacturers who have moved outside code areas and (2) from other
industries like dress, rainwear, blouse and skirt, etc. Klein is
definitely and certainly opposed to government factories, but says the
industry would be glad to cooperate with the government to produce
quantities of popular priced clothing at cost plus overhead. Says if
there is to be unemployment insurance it must be done for all
industries; his own group tried it in 1926 with disastrous results.
As for
government factories, the announcement from
by everyone. several clients seemed to be waiting until the government
took charge, and everyone favored it. Every announcement about relief
from
from relief workers about "glowing announcements" with no results except
an influx of inquiries from clients. No opposition would be met from
clients if the government did take charge of factories and start
producing, but the opposition of manufacturers of course would be
something terrific unless they got their cut.
Unemployed Councils: they claim 52 locals with a few additional small
groups. A membership check-up is being made now. Richard Sullivan, New
thirties, said "There will be change in relief soon. We want one and
they (the govt.) want one because they are afraid of what we want." Says
there can be no purchasing power on relief money, and thusly there can
be no revival in industry. "The way it looks to us is that they are
trying to institute forced labor into all relief work." The headquarters
for the city are at
activity and the line of chatter is the same. The councils had a bout
800-1,000 in the demonstration Saturday, and expects to send 100
delegates to
In the
works division of
vociferous complaints. On the one hand you have Col. Willgus, a
Vermonter army efficiency expert who says he is in "a devil of a fix"
and complains bitterly because he isn't permitted to do an efficient
job. On the other hand a tremendous amount of what might be called
"idealism" has permeated the service division which includes music,
drama, education, etc. Here the department heads are almost hysterical
because they are subject to the whims of home relief rules and can't do
an idealistic job of "public service" and usher in the new social order.
As for Col. Willgus, he said "We have got to consider some permanent
plan or else end in disaster. We are trying to eat our cake and have it
too. We can't have an efficient organization unless we can keep our best
men. The PWA comes along and pays double our salaries and some have gone
to the outside with double or triple our salaries. I can't stay here and
see the thing decay and go to dust. When I came here I received many
felicitations from business associates. I was filled with high hopes,
and now I'm told it isn't expected that this is to be an efficient
machine. He wants to get away from the rules and do a good job of work
relief. As for the service division of work relief, the whole business
is horribly confused. The "idealists" can't even talk coherently and say
there must be a change within a month or two or the whole project will
go to pieces. This includes such items as music. They want permanent
planning of "a new type of economy" and placing work relief on a
professional non-stigma basis. Since I haven't completed a survey of the
works division I shall wait until I'm through before summarizing.
Definite pick-ups in business with capacity plants were found in (1) a
candy box factory employing 70 persons; (2) a carpet and floor covering
business, best business in its history and (3) ladies neckwear business
with owner making plenty of cash.
Very sincerely yours,
Wayne W. Parrish