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a Edited and Published at Inveresk House, Strand, London, W.C.1. Registered at the G.P.O. as a Newspaper and for transmission by Canadian Magazine Post. Postage: British Isles, Canada and Newfoundland, Ind. per copy; other places abroad, 23d. Vol. II LONDON, JANUARY 18, 1929. No. 17 THE CURE for UNEMPLOYMENT F OR a good many years now people have lulled themselves with the hope that this curse would lift itself and this time last year it appeared as if there were really some grounds for such a hope, From the worst year of all, 1920, unemployment had fallen a little, year by year, till the year 1924 it then turned the corner and began to rise a little ; then came 1926 with the General Strike and the coal stoppage but, with 1927, we seemed really on the up grade. Unemployment, though still at the very high figure of 9'6 for the year, was less than it had been in any year since 1920. But in April, 1928, the curve which had up to then run more or less parallel to that of 1927, with the customary monthly bumps and dips, suddenly turned upwards. It rose-it went on rising-i was L2-8 last November It is still soaring upwards. The total numbers given in the last issue of the Gazette are I,I31,000 men, 235,000 women, 73,000 juveniles. In eight years we have had with us, roughly speaking, somewhere about a million men unemployed and the number is rising. The Army of the Workless. W HAT has been the policy of the country with regard to this army of people For an army it is, if we remember that men have wives and children. There must be, roughly, about three million of persons concerned, if we count in all these. To begin with, we are spending as a nation about thirty-six million on unemployment pay, and fifteen million on out-relief, of which the Minister of Health declares about eight million go to the unemployed that makes about forty-four million a year for one million or SO unemployed and their families, not an absurdly generous contribution. What have we done to provide them with work Here is the record of the Unemployment Grants Committee as given in their last annual report: By Susan Lawrence, M.P. Miss Susan Lawrence, M.P.-An Impression by Kapp. SCHEMES APPROVED. Period. No. Value. December, 1920-March, 1922 3,523 £26,574,000 March, 1922-June, 1923 2,917 15,874,000 July, 1923-June, 1924 2,780 24,222,000 July, 1924-June, 1925 2,272 20,639,000 July, 1925-June, 1926 1,240 17,566,000 July, 1926-June, 1927 63 792,000 The Committee further tell us that in June, 1927, they still have fifteen schemes under consideration of a value of £244,193. The truth is that we have been standing by, banking from month to month on trade improving; without any national policy, except leaving things to take care of themselves. The effects have now become SO frightful that last Christmas the Prince of Wales made an appeal for charity; and in SO doing, I think, he did really and truly represent the country and give a voice to the general spontaneous emotion of the country. The Government is going to give £ for £ we are going to spend £20,000 on the Royal Parks : and the Unemployment Grants Committee is to be roused from its sleep, and to start a certain number of new schemes. All honour to those who subscribe to the Mansion House Fund ; but can it really be imagined for one moment that private charity can meet such a need as this The value of private charity here is not SO much what it does as what it shows. It shows that the feeling of humanity is still alive in this country and that thousands of people are anxiously and earnestly willing to help. But is there really nothing better to be done Is the thing SO very difficult to deal with I do not think SO for one moment. I believe that the truth is that unemployment, as it now exists, is not a great calamity, but a great opportunity. Let us, therefore, examine our position coldly and calmly. F IRST of all, if it were true that we were all poor together, or if we were all growing poorer, it might be necessary to preach patience. But is it SO The Times, in its review of the year-and surely we could have no safer or more moderate authority-tells us that Industrial profits began to take an upward turn at the end of the year 1922; in 1923 there was an increase of 30'6 per cent., in 1924 a further rise of 6.6 per cent., followed by advances of 87 and 6'3 per cent. in 1925 and A Picture of our Wealth.

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Edited and Published at Inveresk House, Strand, London, W.C.1. Registered at the G.P.O. as a Newspaper and for transmission by Canadian Magazine Post. Postage: British Isles, Canada and Newfoundland, Ind. per copy; other places abroad, 23d.

Vol. II

LONDON, JANUARY 18, 1929.

No. 17

THE CURE for UNEMPLOYMENT

F OR a good many years now people have lulled themselves with the hope that this curse would lift itself and this time last year it appeared as if there were really some grounds for such a hope, From the worst year of all, 1920, unemployment had fallen a little, year by year, till the year 1924 it then turned the corner and began to rise a little ; then came 1926 with the General Strike and the coal stop- page but, with 1927, we seemed really on the up grade. Unem- ployment, though still at the very high figure of 9'6 for the year, was less than it had been in any year since 1920.

But in April, 1928, the curve which had up to then run more or less parallel to that of 1927, with the customary monthly bumps and dips, suddenly turned upwards. It rose-it went on rising-i was L2-8 last November It is still soaring upwards. The total numbers given in the last issue of the Gazette are I,I31,000 men, 235,000 women, 73,000 juveniles.

In eight years we have had with us, roughly speaking, some- where about a million men un- employed and the number is rising.

The Army of the Workless. W HAT has been the policy of the country with regard to this army of people For an army it is, if we remember that men have wives and children. There must be, roughly, about three million of persons concerned, if we count in all these. To begin with, we are spending as a nation about thirty-six million on unemployment pay, and fifteen million on out-relief, of which the Minister of Health declares about eight million go to the unemployed that makes about forty-four million a year for one million or SO unemployed and their families, not an absurdly generous contribution. What have we done to provide them with work Here is the record of the Unem- ployment Grants Committee as given in their last annual report:

By Susan Lawrence, M.P.

Miss Susan Lawrence, M.P.-An Impression by Kapp.

SCHEMES APPROVED. Period. No. Value. December, 1920-March, 1922 3,523 £26,574,000 March, 1922-June, 1923 2,917 15,874,000 July, 1923-June, 1924 2,780 24,222,000 July, 1924-June, 1925 2,272 20,639,000 July, 1925-June, 1926 1,240 17,566,000 July, 1926-June, 1927 63 792,000

The Committee further tell us that in June, 1927, they still have fifteen schemes under consideration of a value of £244,193. The truth is that we have been standing by, banking from month to month on trade improving; without any national policy, ex- cept leaving things to take care of themselves. The effects have now become SO frightful that last Christmas the Prince of Wales made an appeal for charity; and in SO doing, I think, he did really and truly represent the country and give a voice to the general spon- taneous emotion of the country. The Government is going to give £ for £ we are going to spend £20,000 on the Royal Parks : and the Unemploy- ment Grants Committee is to be roused from its sleep, and to start a certain number of new schemes. All honour to those who sub- scribe to the Mansion House Fund ; but can it really be imagined for one moment that private charity can meet such a need as this The value of private charity here is not SO much what it does as what it shows. It shows that the feeling of humanity is still alive in this country and that thousands of people are anxiously and earn- estly willing to help. But is there really nothing better to be done Is the thing SO very difficult to deal with I do not think SO for one moment. I believe that the truth is that unemployment, as it now exists, is not a great calamity, but a great opportunity. Let us, therefore, examine our position coldly and calmly.

F IRST of all, if it were true that we were all poor together, or if we were all growing poorer, it might be necessary to preach patience. But is it SO The Times, in its review of the year-and surely we could have no safer or more moderate authority-tells us that Industrial profits began to take an upward turn at the end of the year 1922; in 1923 there was an increase of 30'6 per cent., in 1924 a further rise of 6.6 per cent., followed by advances of 87 and 6'3 per cent. in 1925 and

A Picture of our Wealth.

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