Socialists Show the Way to Relief
Socialists Show the Way to Relief Cwnrr^ Show. Lehman Need of More Relief, and Point* Out Where Money Can Bo Found—To Tax GroM Earnings of Utilities, From One to Four Per Cent—Too Many Golden...
...If you insist on arguing with ths disturber, you are heading for trouble, because the crowd may get intensely interested in the contest and anxious to know who will get the best of it...
...However, one should look up the matter without delay and inform oneself so that when such a question is again presented the answer can be given...
...The public utility corporations have enjoyed unusual prosperity despite the depression...
...To provide $40 a month for only four-fifths of this number would require another $1,250,000...
...Thit will leave $1,500,000 to take on new casea which are bound to increase...
...Assuming that the Reconstruction Finance Corporation continues to give Now York $4,100,000 monthly, and the localities continue their actual expenditure of $6,000,000 * month, it it the duty of the Stat* to spend $6,000,600 a month from it* ewa resources,— $4,000,000 aa a 40% reimbursed fund and $2,000,000 directly without reference to local expenditures...
...Lehman Need of More Relief, and Point* Out Where Money Can Bo Found—To Tax GroM Earnings of Utilities, From One to Four Per Cent—Too Many Golden Egg...
...Being Laid— Banker-Governor Listens to Straight Talk...
...Home relief in New York City for the month of January averaged $28 a month a family...
...When he said increased taxation would result in higher rates he was reminded that rates are fined by the Public Service Commission and increases would be impossible if not so authorised...
...If he does get questions that pertain to the topic, he should regard them seriously, because such questions often expose some weakness in material, vaguesness In thought or bad arrangement in his presentation...
...Such knowledge is indiepentablt to an efficient speaker...
...The reason for this advice Is that the speaker should not permit any secondary or additional discussion to blot out the impression made in his talk and destroy its effectiveness...
...Let the disturber annoy the audience and they will soon silence him or help you get rid of him or permit your committee to get into action...
...This Is attributable to the fact that they possess monopoly privileget granted to them by the State...
...it thould make the littenor eager to hear and road mere...
...Under this program the total coat of relief in February would come to approximately $12,000,000 in the State on the batit ef the number of families now receiving relief...
...Work relief tbouM be increased to $50 a month ia New York City and $41 outside of the City...
...Interruptions and Disturbances It is difficult to advite how to act in every inatance where there it a diaturbance or an interruption at a meeting...
...In the first place, those now receiving relief should have their allowances considerably increased...
...The speech should stimulate a desire to know mere about the subject...
...Outside of the Metropolis it averaged $29 a month in December...
...A good speaker heedt auch questions, reexamines his speech and when he delivers it again he answers in the course of his speech...
...A decent home life is impossible under these conditions...
...Minimum Required "We believe that $15 a week should be a minimum of relief for every family...
...Exhibit 'A' tummariset tho figures...
...First make sure that you fully understand the question before you attempt to answer it...
...Thus, it plainly appears that $18,000,000 it a minimum monthly requirement for public relief in the State...
...A memorandum had been prepared, and Karlin explained in detail the increasing need of aid...
...We hold that the Stat* la entitled to recapture these excess profit and use the proceeds to alleviate the sufferings of the jobless...
...This consisted of a proposed tax on gross earnings of public utility corporations af 1 per cent to 4 per cent...
...New Taxee Needed "Therefore, new taxes will have to be levied to raise the additional funds...
...If you are interrupted in the course of your tpeech and if your audience is apparently with you, the best thing to do is to stop spesking for a few momenta...
...First, bear in mind that at most meetings the speaker always has the greater advantage...
...It is only * means to a larger end...
...The Governor declared that he would give the memorandum careful consideration...
...Of course, • good salesman it on* who It familiar with the merits of his ware*, and every Socialist speaksr should know the contents of tht books and papers ws offer for tale...
...3,600,000 will be distributed directly without reference to local appropriations while $4,000,000 will be used to reimburse 40% of an anticipated $10,000,000 local expenditures...
...That sum ia clearly inadequate...
...A Manual for Socialist Speakers...
...It is also bad salesmanship to announce a variety of books and trust to luck that prospective customers may remember all ths titles and prices and probably purchase something...
...Unless very hostile, the audienc* regards tht speaker more respectfully than it does anyone in the crowd...
...Then again, crowds are often fickle, and speakers must be careful...
...This should yield $40,000,000 in sdditional revenue annually...
...Tb* best speech -in itself is not fully effective...
...The governor, who had given an attentive ear to the committee, said he appreciated the grave situation, but explained that he did not1 ant to tax too heavily any "goose that lays the golden egg...
...Some situations respond to no sort of treatment and the meeting is broken up or must be adjourned...
...It it instructive to both spetker and audience...
...by August ClaCSMenS mmmmmmmmmmm^mmmm Answering Questions An excellent featurt of all propaganda meetings it the practice of encouraging and antwering questions at the end of a talk...
...We urge the Governor to recommend this tax legislation and such Other legislation at ia required to carry out an adequate program of relief...
...He was followed by Oneal and Rosner, but the main item in the program had been withheld...
...The Home Relief Bureau then will pay the first month's rent in the new place...
...Another $2,500,000 is necessary to provide work relief for 50,000 of this number...
...Many landlords acquainted with this practice will not take a new tenant who is supported by the relief bureau...
...In most cases, however, good results can be obtained by some knowledge ef crowd psychology...
...When he asked for a specific recommendation as to where to find the money the increased tax on public utilities was cited...
...To repeat, keep perfectly cool during a disturbance or Interruption and you will always be able to think better and act mora effectively...
...Thit means that the State will contribute $1,400,000 from its own resources...
...A confession of ignorance is at least evidence of intelligence and honesty, while a bungled answer to a question is a bad exposure of ignorance...
...This objective can be realised only if the State increatet the monthly contribution from it* own funds...
...ADELEGATION consisting of William Karlin, James Oneal and Henry J. Rosner, representing the New York State Committee of the Socialist Party, presented a program of more attenuate relief for the unemployed to Governor Lehman at Adhanv Friday of last week...
...It is obvious that the elementary needs of food, shelter and clothing cannot be met from auch small payments...
...It should slso be understood that when a spesker sticks to ¦ topic he can rule out sll Irrevelsnt questions, and "an audience will usually stand him and his judgment iu this matter...
...In New York City, for example, rents are seldom paid unless disposaes proceedings have been commenced...
...If a tpeaker foolishly rambles around a number of topics, he is bound to arouse many questions...
...The* audience thinks that you are the more intelligent of the two—encourage their belief...
...This sum should be Immediately available so as to avoid long delays...
...Although the State has just received 16,100,000 from the Reconttruction Finance Corporation for the month of February, the plan for spending this money in addition to the $15,000,000 left from the $30,000,000 State Bond Issue will not suffice to alleviate' the suffering and distress of the Jobless...
...We recommend for thia purpose an increaae in the present tax on public utility corporations from V, of 1% of gross earnings to 4...
...r "™-----............¦¦¦ -¦ "The State Relief Administration proposes to spend $7,500,000 during the present month...
...The total for both work and home relief for the month of February will be $13,500,000...
...The Emergency Work Bureau privately financed through the Gibson Committee has received more than 80,000 applications for work relief, although its funds allowed it to add only 8,000 of these to its payroll...
...In answering questioni it ia best to be brief...
...This will exhaust the State's fund of $16,000,000 by the end of April instead of stretching it until November which appears tu be the present plan...
...The document left with the Governor is at follows:— Relief Funds Inadequate "From the very beginning of the depression public funds for relief have been inadequate to meet the known volume of distress in New York...
...Undoubtedly, during the month of February, another 20,000 applicationa will be received...
...A study of available data reveals that that sum will not be sufficient to meet the known need adequately...
...When in doubt ask the questioner to state it more clearly...
...Every good Socialist meeting must have leaflets, pamphlett and books for distribution and •ale and the chairman or speaker must call attention to that fact...
...He remained ailent for a moment and Karlin and Rosner went into the proposal to show that these huge interests would not be killed if they parted with a few •f their golden eggs...
...Moreover, there is no crime in not knowing...
...If you cannot answer a questioa, frankly say so...
...However, recognizing the financial difficulties of rsising enough money to realise this standard, we urge a minimum of home relief for each needy famly of $40 a month in New York City and $35 a month la the rest of the State...
...In this practice, on* soon develops a questionProof talk on a subject...
...To provide for 46,000 of these through work relief would cost more then $2,000,000 a month...
...This should be avoided, because the best of speskers can not do Justice to a series of questions over a wide range of topics, where the answers are either too brief or too involved to saitsfy...
...Since than 22,000 have been sdded to home relief and 18,000 to work relief ia upstate welfare districts Even if we assume that all of these came from this waiting list, that would still leave 49,000 approved applicsnts for work relief...
...Secondly, when you are Interrupted by Borne heckler or disturbed by some pest, keep a cool head...
...The best results are obtained when the speaker selects one pamphlet for sale, preferably one related to the subject of his talk...
...The speaker must inform ths audience about the contents of the book, something sbout Its author and arous* * desire sn ds demand for it...
...Don't loee your temper and don't abuse your tormentor...
...If » question invites too long and involved a discussion, it is sometimes a better tactic not to answer it, and instead, politely suggest some readings or references...
...20,006 Waiting "In New York City, more than 20,000 applications for home relief were pending on January .'11, 1938J A large number of these applicants have been waiting for relief for many weeks...
...The December 15th report of the State Relief Administration points out in October almost 84,000 applicants bad been approval for work relief outside ef New York City bat war* not] receiving it hseaass af inadequate funds...
...In offering books or pamphlets for sale, It ia not enough to mention a title or two and the prices...
...And if you are not so quick and clever as your heckler, you may get the worst of It and loss the control of your audience...
...When a speaker confines himself to a limited topic and treats it comprehensively, he may get few or no questions...
...Then it is the practice to move the family to avoid the payment of arreara of rentals...
...Literature, Book Sal**, Etc Every propaganda 11 noting should have a supply of literature ou hand...
Vol. 15 • February 1933 • No. 7
