OCR Text |
Show Forest Activities Aid To Many Destitutes Five thousand families have been furnished work by the U. S. Forest service in the intermountain region during 1932, according to R. H. Rut-ledge, Rut-ledge, regional forester, Ogden. The unemployment relief fund, as well as the regular forest service improvement improve-ment funds, were used on the twenty-five twenty-five national forests to help the unemployed. un-employed. In most communities there was not enough work to go around so only local men with families or dependents de-pendents were hired. The forest supervisors su-pervisors worked in cooperation with the local community relief organizations organiza-tions in securing the lists of those needing work. In most cases the work was rotated, i. e., the crews were changed sometimes every month, sometimes every four days, in order to help as many families as possible. While this system was not the most efficient, the men in general worked hard, often working extra time to help complete an improvement project in which the community was interested. One small community furnished a forest supervisor with a list of 280 men in need of work, 105 of whom were in destitute circumstances. The project was small in this case so crews were changed every 5 days. That tliis work was meritorious is evidenced by the remarks of those helped. One man said: "I couldn't have paid by life insurance without this job." Another said: "I have fruit ;nd vegetables In the cellar and this job will buy the kids clothes for the winter." The benefits were not confined to those directly employed. Groceries, building supplies and all the prerequisites prerequi-sites of construction work had to be purchased, thus helping the mercantile mercan-tile institutions as well. |