Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-14
PLACING the Blame.

ACCORDING 70 tue AaICu NUMBER OK
Industry" magazine published in
New York, the Government itself is
mainly responsible for the conditions
Of unemployment now prevalent in
this country. This publication re-
Gently prepared and distributed a
questionable to the most important
corporations and manufacturing
firms in rs States. This inquired as
to the extent and cac-- Of unemploy-
ment The number Of employees
represented by the manufacturers
answering this QUESTIONABLE aggre-
gated one million. which. according
to the law Of averages. should repre-
sent the consensus Of the opinion of
employers throughout the United
States. As to the reasons given for
unemployment, the basic causes
were shown to be as follows:
q The abrupt stopping Of war work.
~ The failure Of the Government to
pay manufacturers their just claims in
connection with war contracts.
90 The absolute lack of fixed policy
ing in ta) hesitat ton and uncertainty.
co. insta biiity of raw materials, {c)
high cos, of labor.
a. Strikes for decreased hours and
increased pay.
O. The consuming public buying on
ly according to its actual immediate
needs
81 Talk Of price fixing and Govern
ment interference.
% Instability Of labor caused by
Governmental coddling.
To these should be added one more
not mentioned by the manufacturers,
but which appears to be materially
fandicapping business in the United
States, and that is the censorship OF
cables. Recently large firm OF
agents and commission merchants
stated that while the war is practi-
cally over and commerce is prepar-
ing for normal conditions. we find
that we are still very much handi-
capped through the unsatisfactory
cable service" and they mention
specifically large business in
almonds. With Spanish exporters.
which was lost because Of the Burle
son grip on the cables. The atti-
tude of the present administration is
entirely beyond our ability to COM
prehend," declare the Merchants
toSS 81
most anxious to find employment for
returning soldiers and to build uI
business, but on the other hand they
putting all kinds Of difficulties in the
way of our transacting business BY
the censorship, which seems so I'M
! necessary, especially to China and
the Far East"
| AS long ago as last September
Republican senators and congress
men. foreseeing the troubles which
would arise should the termination
of the war find the United States un.
prepared for peace conditions CON
f, ferred on the matter and the tangi.
BILE result Of the conference was the
reconstruction bill introduced b.
Senator Weeks, and enlarged anc
improved by Senator Cummins. This
measure contained a most compre
| hensive program for the determine
ton of economic problems, but al
attempts to get it up for consi6era.
| ton ~-c:e frustrated by the Demo
Gratis, at tie instance of Mr.. Wilson
| who did not wish Republican
measure considered because of the
credit which would go to that party
| for having conceived and perfected
it. So March finds the government,
embarke on a policy Of meddling
| interference. price fixing. and dods-
| ing responsibilities while the head OF
/ the government pursues in Europe
, the old vision of Alexander of Rus.
| STA ara declines to call an extra SEES
| son OF Congress to permit Republic
! cans TO unravel the sad tangle ir
which. the Wilson bureaucracy has
| fette:ed business.
! You can't talk idealsm to a man
with stomach ache, and Mr.. Will
son will doubtless find. should he re.
! turn to this country within the next
, six months. that Leagues of Nations
and utopian twaddle make small ap.
| pea. to a country whose industrial
works are comforting themselves in
the gripes of governmental interfer-
; ence and Russified bureaucracy.
! People who were expecting the Presi.
dent to explain his League Of Nation
pian in hiS Seu. Yort- xr-ara 3;e