IDLE WORKERS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 23 August 1935, Page 10

IDLE WORKERS

MAINTAINING MORALE THE UNEMPLOYEP ATTITUDE SPIRIT OF NON-CO-OPERATION. The suggestion that there should be an organised effort to maintain the morale of men receiving unemployment sustenance, by means of physical training and intellectual stimuli, was discussed at Auckland by a number of unemployed, all well fitted to offer judgment upon its practicability. Their opinions, all delivered individually, may be summed up in the word “non-co-operation.”, savs the “New Zealand Herald.”

“If the best fellow in the world invited a body of sustenance men to join a. physical culture class and attend lectui'es,” said one, “hie would he met with laughter or silent suspicion. If physical training were made a condition for sustenance there would be widespread resistance. 1 admit that many need physical training, but they want it per medium of work at a respectable wage. The- evil has gone too far for this kind of ambulance work.” Why the laughter? “It would bo not real mirth,” was the reply, “but the retort of those who have reached the don’t care stage or feel too much resentment against all that has frustrated their hopes to consider seriously any ideas of the kind.” Why the suspicion? “Because,” was the answer, “many men would immediately look for an ulterior motive.”

‘ ‘ ULTERIOR MOTIVE. ’ ’ What ulterior motive? “That perihaps the purpose was to- get young men in form for another war,” was 'the startling reply, delivered in all sincerity. “1 personally do not- imagine that that would be the aim. I am merely telling you wliat many of rt'he men would think—and I have- been among them for a long time. The wellcircumstanced portion of the community hardly realises how the mind of the unemployed has been seething.” Another ground of non-co-operation in welfare movements of the kind mentioned was declared to be a deep--rooted objection to anything that labelfled the unemployed as a class and tended to separate them from their fellows. “Do you think that unemployed would gather in the Domain for physical jerks?” proceeded the speaker. “Certainly not, no matter how much they felt the need of the training. It would mean exhibiting themselves as a social problem. Imagine a couple of hundred men doing the ‘knees raise’ and ‘upward stretch’ >vhen they are full of indignation that their country cannot find them the work which would supply all the exercise their bodie-s need.”

NOT ITALY. This man presented a very disturbing , picture of the state of mind of many unemployed men. He mentioned having read of the drilling of unemployed in Italy, “but,” ho added, “this is not Italy. New Zealanders are not yet units.” The next man spoken to is frankly a Communist, whose main concern is that the unemployed are too apathetic. It was difficult for him to discuss the question at issue without reference to the political doctrine he supports. He, too, mentioned the probability of numbers of the unemployed regarding a system of physical training as a, preparation for war and added, “There is truth in the saying that those who control youth control the army.”

MENTAL APATHY. But while lie saw the situation through Communist eyes he provided fc-od for thought by everyone concerned about the morale of the unemployed. “Their apathy is beyond words,” he said. “Many of them will not even read.” This must be disappointing to a propagandist, but the speaker was not alluding only' to. political literature. He was indicating the extent of the drift as he saw it and pointing to the probable fate of any' effort to Stimulate the mental activity of the men: by lectures'. “In any case,” lie continued, “the

majority of the family men who are receiving sustenance or a considerable number of them, are doing their best to pick up a job every' day. I am out every day occasionally getting an hour or two and taking what I am offered no matter how low, because my fainily liiust be provided for. It would be wrong of me to spend time on physical trniifing when 1 must do my best to add ;r few shillings to eke out the sustenance money. My running about keeps me fit enough and,” he added with a smile, “I can attend to my own intellectual training without help.” NEGLECT IN THE PAST.

“Years ago,” said another man, “suggestions were made in the local press that, physical training should be specially organised for boys who could not find work. Nothing Avas done, though existing, agencies may have kept some of the boys in form. Now these boys are adults, many are registered unemployed, with an outlook that is not encouraging to those who Avoukl devise welfare schemes.” His opinion was that lack of initiative, the product of idleness and disappointment, would tend to non-co-operation among this section. “Don’t forget,” ho added, “that numbers of the unemployed youths play football.” In another quarter the fact was emphasised that a very considerable body of the unemployed were men who hail been casual workers all their lives, preferring occupations which gave them “spending holidays.” Such men, he affirmed, were not seriously depressed by existing conditions, and their whole outlook made them difficult subjects for welfare movements.

In all the talks on the subject there was the inevitable tendency to generalise. but it must be remembered that if any action were taken along the British lines it would not be on Avjiolesale lines. Yet the unemployed ready to respond would probably bo those who did not most need the stimulus.