Federal Aspects of Unemployment Among Professional Women

Abstract

IKNOW of no national organization which has made a greater contribution to the public welfare; without the intelligent cooperation of the American Nurses' Association, the Women's Work Division of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration could never have done what it has for unemployed nurses. In giving jobs to nurses, thousands of other individuals have been directly or indirectly benefited. So, I repeat that without your aid, much that was done for women of your profession would have been left undone, and consequently greater distress and suffering would have been experienced by those whom the nurses served. Your associations have rendered a great national service in this emergency. There is no one who has had more concrete evidence of this fact than I have. I want to thank you on behalf of the FERA-as an organization, as members of committees, and as individuals, for all you have done. Civil Works has ended-demobilization has been effected. It seems to me almost prophetic that the day set for beginning the new relief program was Easter Day--April 1. Aside from giving temporary relief, this new long-range program has many elements designed to eliminate causes, and thereby to effect lasting cures. Who, better than you of the nursing profession, can understand that some such procedure is essential, if permanent good is to come of any treatment of our relief problems. Since you are directly interested in all welfare activities, there are many phases of the new relief program, as it is now being developed, that will claim your special interest and, I feel sure, will appeal particularly to your professional ideals. More than 10,000 nurses were put to work under the Civil Works Ad-