White Bluffs Spokesman

Self-Help Stressed In Relief Report.

Teaching unemployed to be self-sustaining, preservation of surplus food products, individual and community barter, and close cooperation between existing agencies and county commissioners, are three recommendations included in the report submitted to the State College of Washington committee on relief and unemployment by the agricultural extension service. The report is based on relief work being done by county agents and home demonstration agents in different counties.

Able-bodied unemployed should be assisted in becoming self-sustaining as far as possible to relieve the heavy burden of the taxpayer, says the report. A large number of the present unemployed should be assisted in learning to provide food, clothing, fuel and shelter through their own efforts. This can be done through teaching home gardening, canning, drying, preserving, clothing alteration, home baking, and countless other approved practices. These projects are now being carried on in many counties through the cooperation of the county extension workers and the county commissioners.

State or county financial aid may well be applied to establish agencies for canning and preserving needed food that now goes to waste. The labor may be supplied by unemployed who could be reimbursed in food or other necessities. A number of ventures in this direction, carefully supervised by competent public authorities, have proven practical in saving food for the unemployed, that would otherwise have been lost.

It is quite possible, continues the report, that food preserved could be bartered between sections having different resources. When practical, barter may be further arranged for the exchange of clothing, shoes, fuel and other necessities, either on an individual, community, or sectional basis.

Any extensive "back to the land movement" was frowned upon, unless fully analyzed and supervised. People adapted to the soil should return only to suitable land.

The closest possible cooperation of all existing agencies, state, county and community, and the close coordination of all activities was seen as an essential of success for any plan.