Letter from Arthur R. Boyden to the President Describing the Effect of Unemployment on Crime

a wow Hollywood, California August 5,1929 Alle (HE 1/29, < R 8 of My Dear Mr. Ihave been particularly interested in press notices regarding your commission for the study of crime. As a newspaper man of about twenty-five years standing and through my experiences as a big brother etc. I have come in contact with many criminals, especially among the younger generation and I have dis- covered that a majority of the boys who become criminals have been more or less forced into such a life through lack of employ- ment;attempting to hold down jobs which they were unfitted for and disliked or because they were the product of broken homes. Personally I believe if the unempl oyment situation was cleaned up crime would decrease very perceptibly Of course it may be conceit or ego but I believe that I have a solution for the unemployment situation. That is the reason for this letter. Idle men and women are like idle machines, a lia- bility instead of an asset. Unlike maghines, idle humans must eat and sleep and, if they can not secure employment, than many of them take other methods of procuring these things. Usually criminal methods. Now supposing every merchant, every manufacturer and other employers of labor were to put on every man or woman they could what would happen? For a time they would be an expense but does it not stand to reason that when all of these additional per- sons were working and earning money that it would stimulate buy- ing? And would not all of the companies benefit through this employment? Think of the additional money that would be put into circulation. Idle men and women do not spend money but men and women who are employed do. It seems to me that if a movement such as I