Relief of Unemployment

Report Outline
Extent of Need for Unemployement Relief
Private Funds and Public Appropriations
Administration of Unemployment Relief
State Aid in Unemployment Relief
Federal Aid in Relief of Unemployment
Special Focus

Extent of Need for Unemployement Relief

Relief of unemployment in the third winter of the depression is one of the major problems confronting the country at the opening of the year 1932. It is generally agreed that relief should be afforded in proportion to the need, but there is no general agreement as to the extent of the need, and there are differences of opinion also as to the adequacy of local relief funds, public and private, as to methods of administering relief, and as to the necessity of federal aid.

The extent of the need for unemployment relief depends upon the total number of persons unemployed in the United States who lack other resources, the number of persons dependent upon them for support, and the minimum cost of food, clothing, and shelter for these persons until they are again employed.

Several recent estimates are available as to the extent of unemployment in the United States. William J. Barrett, of the President's Organization for Unemployment Relief, testified before a Senate committee in October that the number of persons without employment at the end of August was 5,636,000. L, H. Sloan, of the Standard Statistics Company, estimated the number at 6,300,000. Leo Wolman's estimate was 7,000,000, while the National Industrial Conference Board made a careful estimate of 7,213,497 totally unemployed as of July, 1931. Secretary of Commerce Lamont announced last March that 6,050,000 persons were out of jobs in January, 1931. The January estimate of the American Federation of Labor was in substantial agreement with that of Secretary Lamont; its December estimate is expected to be something in excess of 7,000,000.