GRAVE CRISIS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1932, Page 4

GRAVE CRISIS

UNEMPLOYED IN U.S.A. HALF MILLION FACE STARVATION. (United Press Association—By iJllectrio Telegraph —Copyright.; NEW YORK, Jan. 23. The “New York Times” Chicago correspondent states that that c.ty and the rest of the State if Illinois arc, experiencing one of the gravest financial crises of tlu-ir history. Nearly 500,090 persons in Cook County face the prospect of destitution within a week’s time and several down-state communities .are in a throes of “inoratorla,” and an almost-ooinpleto shut down of business activities. Witi tint available unemployment relief funds exhausted ,t> actual starvation threatens 120,000 families, unless aid is forthcoming by Febiuary 2nd, and steps were taken to-day to convene a Legislature emergency session next Tuesday to deal with the situation. The Chicago “Daily News” to-day printed a “Hunger Call,” asking the people of the State to rally so as to prevent suffering. An appropriation of ,twenty millions dollars is needed, but the provision of this sum would leave a deficit equal to that sum, in the Illinois State Budget. The towns of Urbann, Aurora and Mjndoin lmve. ly mayoral l proclamation, closed their bnnks and nil but the immediately essential business houses, in order to re, store popular confidence and prevent bankruptcies.