The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-09-26
President Attributes Present Stu
alton To the War and Thinks
the Road To ''Normalcy" Can
Be Smoothed By the Intelligent
Advice Of the Conference,
Which Plans Intensive Work

Which Plans Intensive Work
Washington, Sept 20 Members OF
the national unemployment confer
ence summoned by President Harding
to cope with the problem of affording
relief to unemployment throughout
the country were assembled here to-
day for the opening session of the
conference.
Following an address of welcome
by the president, members of the con-
ference, comprising half a hundred
representatives from most of the
key industries( were to hear sug-
gestions from Secretary Hoover as
chairman of the conference on means
for expeditions handling of the pro
blem
1t was expected that the conference
would, at once, resolve itself into a
committee, possibly ten in number,
to consider the unemployment situa-
tion from it's various angles and con-
duct individual hearings in formu at
ing recommendations upon which the
conference may conduct general
policy. The conference purposes net
only to formulate Il program to meet
the immediate problem, it was said,
hut also to work out permanent
policy for combating unemployment:
whenever and wherever it may arise
in serious degree. A mass of data al
ready prepared by an advisory com
mittee of economic experts appointed
by Secretary Hoover will aid the con-
ference in it's work
Washington. Sept. 26-The national
unemployment conference which the
administration hopes will evolve
means of putting the nations invol-
untary idle back to work, was for
mally opened here today by President
Harding.
Addressing the half hundred indus
trial, economic and labor leaders
comprising the conference. the presi-
dent described the present industrial
depression as "a war inheritance
throughout the world" for which. as
applied to the United States. he
added, he would have little enthu-
siasm for any proposed relief which
seeks either paliation or tonic from
the public treasury.
Belief was expressed by the presi-
dent that the results OF the confer
ence would extend beyond the b2r-
ders of the United States and that
the delegates in their deliberations
would be performing "a service to the
world"
fundamentally sound, financially
strong; industrially unimpaired;
commercially consistent and polti-
cally unafraid,' the president assert
ed, there ought to be work for every
body in the United States who
chooses to work and our condition at
home and our place in the world de-
pend on everybody going to work
and pursuing it with that patriotism
and devotion which make for for
tunate and happy people"
The president declared that the
''open, sure and onward way to rid
! the nation of the wars aftermath OF
depression" involved liquidation,
reorganization, readjustment, reas-
sembly. taking cognizance of things
done and sober contemplation OF
things to be DONE Any other way,
he added, was only hugging delu-
sion
The delegates were told by Mr..
Harding that they had not been in
yited to the conference to solve the
long controverted problems of our
social systems and that Secretary
Hoover, whom he had designated as
chairman of the conference, would
Law Eefore them the program of dis
cussion.
In telling the conference members
they were destined to perform a
worlds service the president quoted
a distinguished foreigner" as having
recently declared:
"Mr. President, our people are
deeply interested in the American
conference on unemployment because
our problem is akin to your own and
your relief in the United States will
be an added signal of hope from
America to us and other peoples whd
are much depressed.
"That remark OF a distinguished
foreigner emphasized our responsible
ity,' the president added If it be
true that no citizen is without exam
pie to some one among his fellows
which l believe to be everlastingl,
true, then nations, great and small
are influencing others in all they
do
"The industrial depression which
we are feeling is war inheritance
throughout the world. We saw hu
manity distressed in those operation
which were caused by the instinct o
sc representation.
From test there is distinct reac
tion. AS the world revolve
there is no escape for any from tn,
valley of depression. Though we suf
fered less than any of those witt
whom we were associated and les
than any of those against whom w
oontended, It was inevitable that W
experience the fever's aftermath an
61Jne to know the depression befer