Aid for Intellectual Unemployed in France

Abstract

INTELLECTUAL workers, including men of science, writers, artists and others, have suffered no less than industrial workers during the recent years of economic unrest. In 1934 an organization was established in France with the object of providing socially useful work for the unemployed professional men and women. A list of work to be done was prepared and private donations were obtained to support the enterprise in order to see whether the idea had a practical value. Thus, in 1934 and 1935 a considerable number of unemployed were engaged in preparing a complete list of benevolent associations existing in France since 1901. The 'Confédération des travailleurs intellectuels", consisting of more than 200,000 workers from various professional groups, also had the problem of intellectual unemployment under consideration. "L'Entr'aide des Travailleurs Intellectuels“(E.T.I.) was organized in order to examine the situation and to find ways and means of giving efficient assistance. The poor financial state of France excluded all possibility of help from the Government, and it was impossible to rely upon private donations. A campaign was therefore begun to obtain from the authorities permission to issue special stamps of different values, with a small surcharge, the surcharge being destined for the intellectual unemployed. The campaign succeeded in obtaining a resolution published in the Journal Offioiel on May 27, 1936, by which the issue of special stamps was confirmed, and the E.T.I, was entrusted with the receipt and distribution of the funds collected, under conditions drawn up by the council of the E.T.I., the Minister of National Education and the Postmaster-General.