Evening star., 1921-09-08
Editorial Digest.
The Unemployment Conference.

AAS OAS4n pAV y AASAV S0AAAS&SAASSs
There is generous amount of re-
sponse in the editorial columns of
the country to the Presidents sug-
sested conference to relieve unem-
ployment. There is likewise a free
expression on the underlying causes
of the depressed industrial, condition.
When it comes to remedies, the edi-
torial doctors are not. SO specific. but
they may be said to reflect tendency
to rely upon legislation as a means
of national health, and to blame
Congress, both as to omission and
commission. for the acute disorder
that occasions the conference.
with the object lesson of con-
ference sitting at its very doors to
discuss ways and means, Congress
may be inclined to take it's own duty
in the premises less complacently,"
says the Springfield Union (repub-
lican), while =, the Scranton (Pa.)
Times (democratic) accuses Congress
of "dillydallying on. tariff and taxes
with the result that no one in or out
of Washington seems to know where
he is at" with a winter of suffer-
ing and want" in consequence. why
a conference of business men to at
tend to this particular source of ma
tional concern?" inquiries the Lynch
burg News (democratic). What has
happened to Congress? Action can
only be had by. the Congress of the
United States, officially representing
all the American people, and action
up to the present time has been with
held" The administrations mistake.
in the opinion Of the Baltimore Sun
Gndependent democratic). has been
in attempting to heal serious internal
troubles with legislative porous pfas-
ters, with tariff sirup for the
manufa cturer, with agricultural bo-
muses. for the farmer. with revenue re-
vision placebos for the taxpayer. with
morality prescriptions for alarmed
and protesting consciences."
ability of the government alone to
remedy the situation, as illustrated
by this statement of the Baltimore
American independently: THE gov
ernment cannot be responsible for
1t has no constitutional power to cor
rect. Such correction must come, in
SO far as it can come, from the agree
ment of capital and labor to CO.
operate in fighting the causes of de-
preston
The personnel Of the conference is
touched upon by the Binghamton IN.
" Sun independent democratic)
thus: The greater groups of indus
tries and thought are to be called
the cooperation of national organ
izations will be sought in the selec-
tions. The rest of the plan is vague"
The Manchester IN. H.) Union dnde-
pendent republican, does not expect
it to result in anybody's going to
work right away. but it may be use
full by putting it's finger on some of
the key logs of the industrial JAM"
The efficacy of public works as a
sponge to absorb unemployment is
The Chicago Tribune independent
republican, advocates reservoir of
jobs. We need better roads in every
state in the Union. We need I'M
proved waterways, improved termi-
nails. irrigation developments. more
and better power plants. and in
Vulnerable other things more or less
in the nature of public improve
ments." The Baltimore News Gnde-
pendent). while it believes that
unemployed workers something to do
has never been satisfactory" yet
recognizes that most public bodies
have certain building going on as
normal part of their activity. 1t Is
not impossible to begin at seasons OF
unemployment public works already
planned"
But of all remedies" says the Chi
cago Post Independently, the most
eminently practical has been found
to be free public employment agen-
cies conducted on a national scale.
All the states maintain employment
bureaus but, since historical political
boundaries have no relation to the
Industrial divisions. the necessary CO.
operation and nationwide point Of
view have been lacking. Private
agencies. organized for the most part
on the client system. simply cannot
get the information to make them ef-
fective in a large way"
The New York Times independent
democratic) sees a new element in the
solution of the "seemingly eternal
deadlock" in the "catalyst of an idea"
which Mr.. Hoover has thrown into 1t.
There always has BEEN" it says. "a
third factor in the industrial prob
lem, the educated technician, who is
neither capitalist nor hand laborer.
but the executive brains of both AL
most a year ago Mr.. Hoover began
a nationwide research into industrial
conditions. with view to precisely
such crises as the one now confront
ing u.s. This attack upon our indus
trial problems is thing quite new:
It is rs bold as the situation is huge
and difficult. That it should at once
succeed is not impossible. though, un-
fortunately, not probable"