DULL CHRISTMAS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 305, 26 December 1930, Page 7

DULL CHRISTMAS.

POVERTY IN AMERICA

Huge Relief Works Throughout

Country,

INDUSTRY AT LOWEST EBB.

(United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyfiglit)

NEW YORK, December 25

Christmas in 1930 in America is. nothing like Christmas, in 1928, or even in 1929. The Wall Street brokers' bonuses, which in the years before 'last year's crasir ran to £10,000,000, this year dwindled to a small and insignificant sum, which, moreover, no one cares to estimate.

11l the tkfee principal cities of the country distributions of food, to the destitute have reached enormous- proportions. In New York 90,000 meals were distributed. At Philadelphia 6000 persons,stood in line at the Town Hall for baskets of food handed out by the Mayor. Twelve women collapsed from weariness, afld'hunger. In Chicago 5000 hungry families were fed, and 44jt)00 children were given gifts.

The Associated Press, which has made a national survey of the conditions, states .that the expenditure on public Work's, including also large private enter-, prise undertakings: for relief, will total mors' than £100,000,000. .The ;it Says, i's a network of commissions and committees, .which are pushing forward every bit of public work possible, to prevent suffering among those who Cannot be put to work.

■In some communities, however, the measures for aiding the .poor and distressed are quite primitive. The authorities at Waterloo, lowa, are seining the Cedar River, with the permission of the State Game Department, and giving the fish .to the. needy.. , The State of Utah is able to provide relief for only 4000 persons. Heads of families who have been put to work are pouring sand oh the slippery streets.

The Unemployed from large sections of the North-Western States have been driven into the South-West by the cold weather. In the latter Staies the climate is ' at least equable at this time of the. year.' • / Georgia is feeding its idle at two-cent soup kitchens. . •'" '■ Various of the" States which were hit by the drought last summer report an extreme degree of suffering in the rural districts, where famine conditions prevail. Few persons are for long going hungry in the urban centres, but on some farms the' distribution of relief is slow. •'."-, . Commerce and industry throughout the country are at the lowest ebb™iinc'e the depression,' -and the turning of, the tide, is not yet in sight. .'..-:' '.;■•'"' ' \