UNEMPLOYED WHO DRINK.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20224, 30 April 1931, Page 11

UNEMPLOYED WHO DRINK.

CO rBB IDITOB 07 CHB PEESS Sir,— you permit me a small space in which to offer a few wofds of criticism of the remarks of. "A Worker" in to-day's issue of your paper. I am not concerned for the moment with the ethiesi of drinking alcohol, but 1 am very much concerned with the, use of the word "dole" by your, correspondent. He speaks of those of the unemployed who receive payment under relief schemes, for work done, as "going on the dole"!. By what right does he use that offensive phrase? I thought it was the boast of the Government that they had avoided introducing the "dole," and that the fund raised by levy was a capital fund to be used to provide work. It is surely an unwarranted slur on men .working under relief schemes, though not "fortunate enough to have steady work," as your correspondent is. The pay is poor enough, but pray don't let us add insult to injury' by unfair sneers! In conclusion, I should like to add that it is, in my view, absolutely incorrect for anyone who pays the unemployment levy to contend (as "A Worker does) that he is "paying for another chap's drinks", or food; he ia doing nothing of the sort. —Yours, etc., 8 H.A.B. April 29th, 1931. .. ' •