Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-11
BY Fredertc ]. Haskin.

Washington, d. c., Dec. S-That the
presidents unemployment conference
Is not over and that Its committees
will continue to WORK as long as the
unemployment situation remains seri-
Gus was pointed out by Ida Tarbell. a
delegate to the conference, the other
day.
Thirteen regional directors are at
work In different sections OF the coun-
try Miss Tarbell explained, showing
communities how to meet their prob
lem OF jobless men. The committee
has to report to Mr.. Hoover regularly.
So you see we are not dead organ
ization.
when we came to Washington and
did not at once arrange to put all the
unemployed to work, we were accused,
OF passing the buck. But what could
e0-odd persons do to feed 1000 900? We
sent out word that it is the business
OF every community to study Its local
conditions and do something and that
we would help them. That is what
we are still doing"
States and cities are still being urged
to speed up construction and repair
work. 1t is estimated that 1000 600 men
could be at work on the building pro-
gram that Is needed by the country
because of the housing shortage. Con-
struction Is held back because perhaps
1ldLerldlS VIII DC cheaper ihtSt.
The conference holds that 1t Is bet
ter economy to have work done now
whether building costs so up or down,
and put men to work, than to leave
their families destitute thru unemploy-
ment. and have to provide charity for
them.
Road building. sewer work. cleaning
up of factories and homes are givinS
men work in communities that are CO.
operating with the conference delegates.
Even the small matter of paying
jobless man to rake the lawn or paint
the front porch is regarded now as an
important contribution which the IN
dividual can make toward relieving the
want Of the unemployed.
There is much suffering and unem-
ployment is still acute according TO
Miss Tarbell. Some men have been out
of work. except for pickup Jobs. for
n year. and many have been unable to
find even temporary work all sum
mer.
People do not realize that wide
spread unemployment is a disease OF
the industrial and social system,
Miss Tarbell explained. We have ad-
vanccd beyond the stage where we re-
gard an epidemic of sypnoid as fate
and take no steps to safeguard our
selves against disease. But we allow A.
100000 men to go jobIess without see
ing that this is as great a catastrophe
perhaps It is inevitable that periods
of depression and want must come
LOCAL PROBLEMS
The conference left the usual cmer-
houees. and charity funds-to local un-
employment committees. 1t tried. and
is still trying. W get at the funda-
mental defects IN the industrial sys-
tenn which bring about business cycles
and make unemployment on a large
scale Inevitable.
1t recommended among other things.
lower freight rates. reduction of arma
ments. fair tariff, and less difference
between the cost OF food production
and the price paid by tho consumer.
Along these lines It coufd only suggest.
a. tho power TO act lies with congress-
and other branches of government
Some OF the suggestions made to con-
sress. for road-building appropria lions
and money for reclamation projects.
have been adopted. 1t was said that
100000 workers could be employed IN
state highway construction by means
Of funds released by congress.
Miss Tarbeli says that uncmpIoy- |
ment could be considerably reduced X
would estab,ish n moro eff
ciont system OF hiring and firing.
The short-sighted system by which |
n factory owner has "A thousand men |
for him in time OF pros
perity. and at the first sign Of n drop
fires several hundred OF them without |
warming. IL too costly 70 everybody |
ment and become aggressive. Tho en- |
ployer complains that labor Is 80 un-
stable that he cannot count on 1t wie, |
he really needs II. And stability is
necessary II there is TO bo any sound
progress In industry |
Miss Tarbell believes that employ
crs are beginning to find that they
must adopt more scientific methods or
dealing with employees.
IT remember one factory" she said. |
where 1000 men received notice on |
that they would not he need
ed Monday. They had refused to th!nl. |
that a slump was coming. and the de-
spsir they showed was terrible. They
had no warning, but they had no re-
dress.
AN intelligent handling of a SINH
lar situation occurred In a big Chica-
20 plant. The employees and officials
hero realized that in a few months
they would have n shut down. The
Is organized on what Is
known ms the shop representation plan:
They said. we want enc whole body or
people to know that things
are slowing up and to consider what
can be done If the factory has to
close. when a man goes out We VIII
not hirc new one Then they ad-
viscd the men to get other work II
they could.
THE factory soon began 70 work only
four days n week. then three. then TWO.
and finally they closed down, for a
But the spirit of tho men was
different from that <nouu IN plants
where summary dismissals were made. |
They had time to plan and saw
EMPLOYMENT MANAGEMENT
Getting the individual employer TO
use scientific methods of handling his
employees is largely a matter of cdu.
cation. and can only be accomplished
II is realised.
Tho most practical scheine which the
conference has urged upon the coun-
try for quick results IL TO establish or
In the states and cities to
study the local labor conditions. Some
Of these organizations have established
public employment bureaus. Jobless
men are registered and connected with