The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-05
Unemployment Problem Great
est Before Nation.
BIG NEED FOR PUBLIC WORK
Road Repairs Should Be Made
Now, Says James Davis.
Cause of Labor More Alive To-
day Than Ever Before.


; Detroit, Sept. 5.-Labor Day dawns
on a situation that calls to every loyal
American >for the best thought, the
nightiest effort and the strongest
faith he can summon, Secretary Of
Labor James j. Davis declared here
today at Labor Day celebration on
Belle Isle.
Gated first of all to meeting the i'm
peratiVe human need of the idle" said
the labor secretary.
"All over the country a strange
hush has fallen" he said. THE great
productive machine has slowed down.
Not a single individual in the country
has escaped. The country is sick from
oVer-indulgence and one and all, we
have had to go on the operating table
for the removal of false values. Labor
Day this year must be the day to dedi-
cate ourselves to finding the answer
to the question, what viii put us back
to health and work and prosperity
again p "
Urge Road Repairs.
Secretary Davis said that the Amer
lean worker wants no charity, but he
wants a job. The problem of unem-
ployment. he said, calls for instant
and energetic action. According to
the labor secretary, the cities coun-
ties and states should start at once
the making Of road repairs building
reservoirs and other public work.
Much of this work of construction or
repair is in heavy arrears on account
Of the European war and now is the
time to have it done, he said.
"A double need is. met" he added,
"the public is served and the idle are
given tasks to do and money to earn.
''F'or lack of courage we are
neglecting any number of large under
takings that would give a mighty
shove to the great stalled engine of
American production" said Mr.. Davis
What article, for instance, besides
steel, enters more intimately into
every process of life than coal yet the
situation we have on our hands is
perfect example of that~paralysis of
mind and will on the part of us all
which accounts for our paralysis in
business.
More Courage Needed.
mines are idle and miners with
them, because people think the prices
Of coal could and may be lower.
Dealers and operators are in suspense
because they think wages and freight
rates should and may be lower. The
railroads are in suspense because they
fear the attitude of employees. And
employees, the miners with them, fear
the attitude and suspect the fair
ness of employers. So we travel in
vicious circle and no one has courage
to break it. The consequence is that
coal is scarce and will be high this
winter OF all winters when people
should have their coal at the lowest
possible price. The price will never
be lower. the situation will never be
broken until one or the other party 10
it has the American courage to take
loss. to make a move and start the
flow of coal"
Secretary Davis said some of the
larger undertakings necessary to
break the deadlock of impulse and re-
lease private energy, are the duty of
government and the duty is being dis
charged.
been the key log in the business jam,
said Davis. Like the parties IN
volved in the coal situation, but on a
scale that much Daore widely and adj
versely affected the country, the rail-
roads have been locked in rigid tan
gle. With the allotting of half bill
lion dollars to the railroads at Presi-
dent Harding's solicitation one OF the
great central vicious circles at the
heart of national business will be
broken
IIabor's Cause Alive.
Touching on the subject of organ
ization labor, Secretary Davis said
that the cause of labor is more alive
today than it ever has been in forty
years. "A few employers have taken
this period when jobs are scarce and
the working man is at a disadvantage
to break down their workers organ
izations'" he added. ut seems to
these people a good time to even up
old scores to revenge themselves for
the high wages they were forced to
pay a year or two ago, and see to it
that such wage scale never obtains
again. The peril in this speaks for
itself 20 employers everywhere, 1
would say, Don't set your wages by
the hungry crowd at the gates of your
MILL During the war the pendulum
swung over to the side of the en-
ployes. Now It has swung back on the
employers side. If employers play
fair they will do more to stabilize
business and bring good feeling than
anything else they could do