AMERICA'S UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20767, 9 January 1931, Page 13

AMERICA'S UNEMPLOYED.

RELIEF OF ACUTE DISTRESS.

"GANG" LEADER'S SOUP KITCHEN

The unemployment situation in the United States is discussed by Mr. E. H. .Robinson, a New Zealander now resident in New York, in a letter recently received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. 11. H. Robinson, of Remuera.

" Many steps have been taken to alleviate the acute distress," writes Mr. Robinson. " Food relief organisations have been formed, anil the farmers of the country, who will probably always have enough to eat, have generously subscribed tons of potatoes, fruit and vegetables, which are being put up into bags, each sufficient to keep a family one week. This assistance is offered in the more acute cases, particularly where there arc chil dren. The food is distributed from designated food stations, usually the local police stations. Fifteen thousand people are being assisted daily. " Then again, many soup kitchens have been opened throughout the country, arid these arc open to all who have need of aid. AI. Capone, one of the worst rai keteers in the Lnited States, a notorious gangster who has managed to evade the law, has himself opened a soup kitchen in Chicago that is costing him £f,o(y a week to maintain. In addition to fiee soup, lie is giving stew and bread. It seems that he is in this way returning much of the money lie made illicitly, probably as a sop to his con-

science "Tn New York City there. air- 600') unemployed who have become vendors of apples. On practically every street corner one finds a man or woman licensed to sell, with a l>ox of apples Each vendor hears a large placard, reading. * Unemployed-Tiny Apples—Five Cents Karl,.' I'Yohably " never before have so many apples heen sold as during 'his period. The boxes of upplftS hig bought by the vendors and a profit ot from two dollars to three dollars, is made on each box. The more energetic sales person can sell as many as five boxes a day. When the system was first introduced and manv men were without any funds at. all. the apples were distributed on credit by the association handling I lie situation. It is interesting to note that 00 per cent, of the men returned payment for anything so received just as soon as I hey had-sold their wares Continuing, Mr Robinson states that Nw York Citv employees, who number 150.000. are each giving a dollar a month toward charity Valuable aid is also being given by municipal workers in New York, who have pledged themselves to the extent of £50.000 a month until nor•Jnal venditions return.