The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-04
MENACE IS REAL
Baker Tells Governors To Go
Home and Ascertain Needs.
Charges InsidiOus Underground
Campaign in Operation.

Washington, March 4.-Governors
and mayors attending the White House
conference were told today they had
better go back home and find what
their problems were" by George L.
Baker, Oregon.
Baker did not mince words. He de-
clared that with the exception of Gov
ernor Cox, Ohio, apparently none OF
the members of the conference real
lied they were confronted with real
menace and that their states and cities
were vitality concerned.
Baker declared that none of the
speakers has had the "old nerve" to
say what they felt. He charged that
IAN insidious underground prOpa-
ganda campaign was in operation
and that the only government official
who has admitted it was Secretary of
Labor Wilson.
Governor Sprou1, Pennsylvania. bit
terly assailed the administration Tor
what he termed too Overlooking gov
eminent care and supervision" Sproul
directed his attack particularly at
rails mails, express and telegraph
service such as this country never
knew before"
Sproul cited mail delays as a fine
commentary on the methods now in
use" Mail deliveries now average
three to five times as long as formerly,
he asserted
Reduced Rates on Materials.
Governor Cox, Ohio. advocated as
one aid to stimulating resumption of
work sweeping reduction in freight
rates on road materials"
Cox said the freight rates reduction
might be extended to all classes Of
building material.
This plan, Cox argued. naturally
would result in losses to the railroads
but the government has the railroads
and is going to stand loss anyway
He pointed out that it was not more
unreasona BILE for the government to
take a loss in this form than to pay
the losses occasioned by the wheat
price law.
also. 1 would urge" Cox con-
tinued that the government begin
campaign of buying materials to put
the rail lines in first class. condition.
They have the authority here. Let
them lead in the work of resuming the
employment of labor"
Crisis in Sixty Days.
Washington. March 4.-America's
unemployment should reach the peak
of its seriousness within the next sixty
days according to governors and
mayors in conference at the White
House today.
1t was the consensus of opinion that
resumption of work in all lines, both
indoor and outdoor would be suffi-
Gent IN TWO OF three months To pTO-
vide work for those who cared to be
employed.
In this connection, the conference
had before it many suggestions as to
how labor should be distributed to
avoid congestion in cities and meet de-
mands in agricultural and other out
door work. =.
|, One of the principal problems. it
was pointed out, is to get men fresh
out of military service or from war
plants to take back their old places.
This was shown to be especially true
in sections where the requirement is
chiefly for agricultural labor. AS
result. cities are daily becoming more
the center of unemployment
Send Soldiers Directly Home.
A suggestion that the war depart
ment when discharging drafted men
from the service be required to send
them directly back to their local
board was made to the conference by
Lieutenant Governor Wallace Cross
ley. Missouri
Crossley proposed also to have en-
listed men returned to their homes
along with the drafted men. as means
congestion in cities.
Crossley's plan has the support of
other mid-western men. All agreed
there was reason to believe a storage
| of harvest labor was about to compli-
| cate matters for the agricultural sec
tons of the midwest.
Kansas to Need Help.
| Lieutenant Governor Huffman. Kan
sas. says his state will produce be-
tween 175.0o0,000 and 100000. 900
4 bushels of wheat this year and unless
/ the cities and congested sections help
] in sending men in a westerly direction
| crops will be wasted.