NEW ANGLES ON AN OLD PROBLEM.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 23 August 1935, Page 6

NEW ANGLES ON AN OLD PROBLEM.

The article, “Idle Workers,” which appears on Page 10 of this issue shows that though phrases about “the unemployed problem’ are continuously on everybody’s lips, there are more aspects to this important social question than most of us realise when we talk glibly about “the problem.” The article shows, in the words of Auckland unemployed men, why physical culture classes for the general body of unemployed must •fail to attract the support of the very class for whom they would be designed. On paper there is something very attractive about the idea of banding idle men together for the purpose of their keeping physically fit; but when viewed from the men’s point of view the prospect appears entirely different. The statements made about the “dreadful apathy” of many of these idle citizens should give the rest of the community cause for thought, pity and a more active interest in the lot of these men. Other statements about the suspicion with which the men view efforts made- oil their behalf should also be disturbing to the equanimity of those of us who believe that the wage-tax answers the unemployed’s problem. There is yet another thought which emerges from considei’ation of this arresting article, and that is the statement that many of the unemployed are men who have been casual workers all their lives and who prefer occupations which give them “spending holidays.” The serious-minded student of the unemployment situation must ask himself if the time has not almost arrived to separate this class of unemployed man from the general list of registered unemployed.