Block-Aid

With dimes & quarters for the-man-next-door New York last week started to sweep destitution from the face of the city. Startling in its simplicity, the plan was to organize Manhattan's 2,800 city blocks and the 28,421 blocks in the other four boroughs, so that the workers or dwellers in each square would be directly responsible for the livelihood of at least one distressed family, resident in the same block. There are now 20,000 such desperately needy families in New York City. Director of the plan is Wilton Lloyd-Smith, 37, keen, aggressive law partner in the firm of Cotton, Franklin, Wright & Gordon. Wartime field-artilleryman, Director Lloyd-Smith now devotes a large part of his surplus energy to big-game hunting. His Labrador retriever, "Ken-jockety Jim," won the Open and Best of Breed ribbons at last month's Westminster Kennel Club show. His wife, Marjorie, is the daughter of Arthur Henry Fleming, whose generous contributions helped to bring California Institute of Technology into being. In announcing his plan, Director Lloyd-Smith made public the sad fact that New York City's $38,250,000 relief fund, collected from State, city and private sources, was caring for only about one-half the estimated 230,570 jobless heads of families. Of the remainder about 20,000 have been investigated, found urgently in need of help. To this list more will probably be added each week. Though simple in operation, the plan is staggering in size and scope. It has called for the aid of all of New York's big daily newspaper publishers, enlisted as district directors, business, civic and social leaders, including President Nicholas Murray Butler of Columbia University, who enrolled as chairman of a large Upper West Side district. Last week's big job was to recruit an army of 200,000 workers, composed of a leader with nine assistants for every block in the city. Every relief team will ask every employed person in every block for 10-c-, 25-c- or 50-c- per week-- never for more than $1--to be given as long as there is need.

Not only for the crisis of 1932's Depression, but for every future crisis. Block-Aid is expected to function. Director Lloyd-Smith means it to become the permanent instrument of neighborliness. As the wheels began turning last week his committee explained its aims thus: "This great plan, Block-Aid, is designed to end misery in this city in the next few months. Important though that purpose is, the Block-Aid plan has a far more important purpose. Every block will set up an organization of leaders, the Block-Aiders, who will be able to deal with destitution whenever it becomes too much for ordinary 'charity' to handle. Block-Aiders therefore become a group of selected leaders to whom New York will turn in any crisis. THE BACKBONE OF NEW YORK."

Claimant to the honor of having thought of the block-aid plan was not Wilton Lloyd-Smith, but an automobile accessory dealer of Buffalo, N. Y. named David Pasternak. To Colyumist Walter Winchell of the New York Daily Mirror Mr. Pasternak last month submitted proof that he had inaugurated the idea in November 1930. Buffalo's plan gives the head of one destitute family in each block $15 per week for removing snow, sweeping sidewalks, clipping lawns. Among the 40 other cities where Block-Aid is now in practice are Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, N. Y., Pittsfield, Mass., Cleveland.

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