18 
.RED POPLAR 
Government how grave the situation was. During the previous 
15 months they had, through the Board of Guardians, 
circularised every Member of Parliament, setting out the 
financial condition of the Borough, and sent deputation after 
deputation to the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour, 
the Ministry of Transport, the Unemployment Grants Com- 
mittee, and the Prime Minister. Warning after warning had 
been given that the people of Poplar could not stand the strain 
which chronic poverty and unemployment were imposing upon 
them, and that sooner or later the calls made upon them by 
the central authorities would not be levied. Their appeals were 
ignored and they were given only soft words and fair promises 
which were meant to disguise the fact that the authorities 
intended to do exactly nothing at all. ‘ 
So at last, faced with an enormous increase in the rates and 
an unprecedented increase in the volume of unemployment and 
distress, the Council took the step of refusing to levy the 
precepts called for by the central authorities. They took this 
course, even although the services provided by these central 
authorities were needed and the cost of them equalised over 
the whole of London, because there was no other possible course 
open to them. They knew that their own local work was even 
more important, involving as it did the maintenance of the 
public health and lighting; the care of the sick, the aged, the 
orphaned and the widowed: and the maintenance of the 
unemployed and destitute. These obligations must be a first 
charge upon their resources whatever other obligations had to 
be neglected. Had any other course been open to them they 
would have taken it, for they knew that the course they had 
taken would probably involve them in imprisonment. 
In due course action was taken by the central authorities to 
enforce payment. On the joint affidavit of the Clerk and the 
Controller of the London County Council an order was issued 
in the High Court, fixing Monday, June 20th, for the Council 
to show cause why a writ of mandamus should not issue 
commanding them to pay to the London County Council the 
first instalment due under the precept, and if necessary to 
make and levy a rate for the purpose. 
An affidavit was filed on behalf of the Council in which it 
was stated that because of the already heavy burden of the 
rates, because of the growing poverty of the people, and 
because of the fact that 15,574 persons out of a population of 
160,000 were unemployed, the Council was of opinion ‘that 
it would be inopportune and useless to levy the ratepavers.” 
Comparisons were made between the rateable values of Poplar 
and Westminster, and it was stated that “a rise in expendi 
ture of 5/- per head of the population would represent an 
increase of 1-4d. in the £ in Westminster, 42d. in the £ in 
Kensington, and 11-7d. in the £ in Poplar. If the Council were 
to levy a rate for the full charges for the current vear the total