Poplarism
1924 1924 1920s 8 pages the amount of relief given is entirety at the discretion of the Guardians themselves. We resented the "Poplar Order" because, whereas it tried to reduce our relief, nothing was ever done to compel reactionary Guardians to give adequate relief. We argued that...
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| Institution: | MCR - The Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick |
| Language: | English English |
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London : Independent Labour Party
[1924?]
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10796/379C0A48-108D-4B84-BC31-D89F7EDA6E49 http://hdl.handle.net/10796/C08FD78B-4BF0-48B3-8C56-7FF12257A33C |
| Summary: | 1924
1924
1920s
8 pages
the amount of relief given is entirety at the discretion of the Guardians themselves. We resented the "Poplar Order" because, whereas it tried to reduce our relief, nothing was ever done to compel reactionary Guardians to give adequate relief. We argued that if Sir Alfred was going to lay down a scale, it must apply to every Board in the country. The scales already quoted will dispose of the impression that anybody who does not like work can go to Poplar and draw a comfortable pension. The ordinary law of the land holds good, and no one can be relieved by the Poplar Guardians whose legal settlement is not in Poplar. THE AMOUNTS ACTUALLY PAID. The following is a rough classification of the 10,504 cases, involving 28,199 persons relieved in Poplar during the week ending 12th January, 1924 :— There were 6,774 men. 8,712 women. 12,713 children. Among the 10,504 cases, 5,050 were of able-bodied unemployed ; in all the other cases the cause of destitution was sickness, old age, accident, loss of parents, widowhood, etc. Approximately 600 of these 10,504 cases would be receiving 50/- or more, a week. 800 ,, ,, ,, ,, 40/- to 50/- a week. 1250 ,, ,, ,, ,, 30/- to 40/- a week. 7854 ,, ,, ,, ,, less than 30/- a week. Large numbers of the last category would be single boys or girls receiving only 10/- a week, and many would be lone persons receiving 12/6 a week plus rent (up to 5/-). These figures answer the general charge of wastefulness and extravagance. They also dispose of the particular lie that relief is shovelled out indiscriminately and that Poplar policy renders it more profitable to be idle than to work. Apart from the relief of those actually destitute, the great divergence between the Mond and Poplar Scales is in regard to children's earnings or total family income. Briefly, the Mond Scale demanded that every penny of the earnings (less 10/- for expenses) of working members of a household should be deducted from the relief of the other members of the household. In Poplar we make deductions according to the scale already quoted. POPLAR'S SEVEN POINTS. We have consistently refused to deduct the whole. (a) Because English law does not hold a child legally responsible for the maintenance of its able-bodied relatives; and experience shows that, whatever Guardians may say, children will not give up the whole of their wages ; 7
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| Physical Description: | TEXT |