UNEMPLOYMENT

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 9

UNEMPLOYMENT

■■POSITION' IN BRITAIN. GOVERNMENT RELIEF MEASURES. Presa Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 22. Dr T. J. Macnamara, in moving the ■ second reading of the Consolidated Fund Bill in the House of Commons, said that the unemployed on December 10 com--265,000 ex-service men, 148,000 civilians, and 131,000 women, anart from those unregistered. This was below the of some pre-war times, but the cost of living was now 167 per cent, higher; hence the problem was more grim and 1 acute. At least half the unemployed were young, active men, to whom the country was under profound obligations. They wanted work, not doles. The Minister detailed the offer to the building trade unions, and stated that the Government had also appointed a special committee, with Lord St. Davids as chairman, to whom had been given £3,000,000 for the purpose of assisting local authorities in carrying out approved schemes on behalf of the unemployed other than housing and roadmaking schemes, of a remunerative character. , A deputation of Labor members Had, he said, last week advocated the setting aside of a four, weeks’ qualifying period for the benefits under the unemployment insurance, the provision of useful work by the various Government departments, the making of grants by distress committees, and the revival of out-of-dpor donations for civilians. The Cabinet had decided to accept the proposal for the setting aside of a four weeks’ qualifying period. The system would a!so t in a short time he introduced into Government establishments; but the continuance of civilians’ out-of-door donations was neither feasible nor desirable. England was now experiencing the worst period of , unemployment for. the past twelve years. Discussing the Government’s policy for the relief of unemployigrnt, Mr J. R. Clynes said that the proposals laid before the House would not provide a complete solution, but they were a contribution towards meeting a serious situation.—A. and N.Z. Cable. MEN WHO -FOUGHT. LONDON, December 21. Scores of discharged soldiers are besieging Australia House daily, requesting assistance over Christmas. Many of the applicants are recently from Australia. The recipients already number some hundreds.—A. and N.Z. Cable. CONDITIONS ON THE CONTINENT. APPALLING DESTITUTION EVIDENT. LONDON, December 21. During the unemployment debate in the House of Commons the Prime Minister painted a gloomy picture of Continental conditions, especially in Central Europe. He declared that unless the world was restored to more normal conditions the problem of unemployment in Great Britain would be past grappling with. “ Our customers,” he said, “ are insolvent. Europe cannot buy. We are as a prosperous shop whose neighbors have gone bankrupt.” Amongst the suggestions under consideration was the sale of Government wool to Central Europe on the credit system, which, it was stated, would enable trade to resume. The Prime Minister startled the House by saying that he would like to see a scheme of emigration to the Dominions considered, in conjunction with the Dominions, for men who are unable to find permanent work in England.—A. and N.Z. Cable.