THE CLUB OF BROKEN MEN

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 146, 17 March 1934, Page 18

THE CLUB OF BROKEN MEN

Victims of the Great Slump

Men who have kept their courage up and their shoulders squared, though the slump and “depression” have fallen on them crusliingly, meet at a “club” in Oxford Street,, in London, now. Every member is a man who has held high executive rank—director, manager, and so forth —and with them are a dozen solicitors, many barristers, some doctors, and members of nearly every profession. Determined to “help themselves,” they have formed the British Executive Employment Society, and Sir Noel Curtis-Bennett has become the president. These are a few of the “stories” behind the 900 names on the Society’s books: —

“A” established his own business—that of a machine tool expert—about ■1912. and built it up till in 1929 it was worth £4OOO a year. Tariffs came in : all his agencies dropped out. His business collapsed, and now his exceptionally brilliant son must leave a big public school because the fees cannot be paid.

“B” — a Major—was for nine years in charge of a government department. Then he was “axed” for economy—and now the Society has got him a temporary job in a bank. His son, too, has had to leave a public school.

“C” is the saddest case of all. He lost his job, and knew that if he told his Invalid wife it might kill her. So he pretended, month after month, to go off every day to his office. His saved money came to an end—and with it his sanity. He committed suicide. “D” is a barrister with an Honours degree. He was attached to a big government department, and later to various commissions, as well as being judicial adviser to an Eastern potentate. But he found that there was a prejudice in the business world against, a man with “government” experience. Many employers are now assisting the Society, and the secretary says that about six men a week are being placed in jobs. /