New-York tribune., 1919-02-23
Emergency Programme Is
Fizzle; Plans for PubEs
Work at dst;lI
Hope in K yon Bill
Lanes Land Scheme Dead.
Railways Inactive; Road
and Harbor Bills Nav D;e
n, Me'g York Tribune
WGSht1luton R,,re..o .o

-stN ORR Tribune
Washington Buren.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 22.-W;+b ~.
weeks official report on the unem,lom
ment situation certain to show cos
siderable increase, and reports 70 a..
Department of Labor showing simnl
taneously an increasing number -
strikes and strikers, while Concro..
makes no progress with anv sort "a
emergency legislation and little er.r
on the ordinary bills involving prsli.
works, the industrial situation ;s
viewed gloomily by officials who have
been endeavoring to dam the rising tida
of discomfort and unemployment
About the time rehabilitation bevsr
shining programme of what couls
easily be done to tide over the read.
justment period was put forth in Wash
ington. 1t was admirable in manv 20
spects and the carrying out Of any 'e of
Its features would have contributes
markedly to the attainments of nav
trial stability. Here are Of the SOM
things that then it seem easv 70 do
that haven't been done and. sueskinr
generally, are not likely to be done.
Launching of Secretary Lanes am
bilious scheme for the reclamation
of various sorts of lands to provide
work and homes for soldiers.
Great public roads programme
state and national, involving accord,
ing to various measures, ali the way
from $200,000,000 to 81, 900 100000
Rivers and harbors improvements
Public building programme to be
doomed
Railways to undertake big pro-
gramme of permanent improvements.
keynon bill for board of public
works with $100,0OO0 600 to spend and
S300,000,0O0 to be loaned.
State and local highways and other
public works to start in with zest.
Programme Falling Down
AS a result of all this work on paper
nearly every unemployed man in the
having at least two jobs
The facts are that no special en-
couragement is to be given to Secretary
Lane, that there will be no appropria-
tlons for public buildins, that the
the railways are doin nothing. that the
states and municipalities are loosening
up very slowly, that the postoffice bill
with its good roads appropriations for
5000 100000 to be expended in the next
three years will probably pass, but that
its funds will be available Just about
in time to help out in the next cycle
of employment-ab eight years
> !,
ton to Say that the prospects now are
that less than normal amounts viii be
expended
Hopes Lies in Kenyon Bill
Friends Of relief action now look to
the Kenyon bill as the last hope. 1t
provides S100,000,0G0 which may be ex-
pended on any sort of government con-
struction which Congress has author
lied Beyond that it authorizes the
War Finance Corporation to lend $780,
100000 to the governments Of political
sub divisions for their public works.
The optimists now believe that even
the comparatively modest Kenyon bill
will be of great help. They say il will
act on industrial and commercial pro-
cesses like a cup full of water as a
primer to a dry pump. Once the
government starts spending the $780,
100000 on public works, they see an
endless chain of sequences that will
grow in volume.
The railways could do more to pro-
mote the right sort of a national psy-
Geological state, the specialists say,
than in any other ffefilffdi tiof activ-
ity. In this the Director General Of
Railways, Walker D. Hines, agrees with
them. From every section of the coun-
try comes the lament that the railways
are either calling off initiated improve
ments or are not going ahead with
adopted programmes. A few days ago
a delegation of Chicago men called on
Mr.. Hines to ask him why the railway
improvements of needed and norms
nature in that city. with the exception
of the Union Station are not going
ahead.
Urges Railroad Improvement
To them Mr. Hines said:
Il don't think there is anything IN
this country of greater importance al
the present time than to resume the
improvement work which was necess-
arily held up by the war. Not only
does the public need the Improvements,
but 1t IS Of the highest importance 70
give the employment right now. lhe
raj road administration viii do every
thing in its power to cooperate in pro-
noting that policy. Its interest IS tne
same as yours in trying TO get re-
sumption of work of this character.
Il don't know any way whereby the
government can so readily take action
towards stabilizing the industrial stu
alton as it can by giving definite eX,
tension right now 50 that the railroad
administration can take the initiative
in confident way in these matters
"The logic of the situation has been
very conclusive and convincing to me,
and what you gentlemen have presented
to me about Chicago situation IS
most striking illustration of the nm
portance of getting action in TINS
Congress which will give US something
definite to go on, and which WI os ,s
an immense influence in stabilizing ths
industrial situation, and stimulating IL
which is what it needs"
Passes Buck" TO Congress
Then Mr.. Hines proceeded TO pas,
the buck" to Congress. The natiola'
lawmakers wouldn't decide TO keep 'hs
railroads for an additional period, ~
the government could not make an.
commitments for permanent rallwa!
improvements, and because Congress
did neither one thing nor the o'ne'
the railroad corporations were not ~
clined on their own account. Ihua'
according to Mr.. Hines, the failure y
stimulate the situation, comes oaes
along the railway as well as other lihes
to roost on the Congressional stoop j.
Some optimists also have high nope;
of Secretary Redfeld's new board y. y.
industrial review. They think lnss,
once it gets TO going right 1t VIZ sss
prove to be quite an assistance TO NV