Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-28
Mohday, November %, 1921.
EMPLOYMENT ON PUBLIC
WORKS

The Senate committee on labor has
before it bill introduced by Senator
Kenyon, Monday, designed to provide
employment on public Improvements
during a period OF major industrial
depression and unemployment" also,
that a smaller percentage of such
works and projects should be under
taken and prosecuted during a period
when private industry is active and
competing for the same men and ma
terial with resulting business strain
and over extension, and that the
prosecution of such works and
projects should be utilized as
stabilizing force during a period of
over-c expansion as we'll as during a
period Of depression"
The bill would have the head of
each executive department "revise
periodically the necessary plans for
all public works and projects within
his jurisdiction" and be ready for
construction. 1t would have the Sec
rotary of Commerce prepare and
publish monthly reports as supple
ment to the current survey Of bust
ness, Of the Bureau of the Census, or
otherwise. concerning the trend of
business conditions. the approach of
periods Of business strain. and over
extension. or of periods Of business
depression. in order that the Presi-
dent, the heads Of the executive de-
partments, the Congress- Governors
OF States and Mayors of cities and
persons engaged in private Industrial
enterprises may properly prepare for
and plan against such periods. The
Secretary Of Commerce is instructed
to transmit, with his recommenda-
tons, copies OF such report to the
President, the heads Of departments,
and to the Congress. In preparing
his report ana recommendations. the
Secretary Is authorized to utilize the
available statistics collected or COM
piled by any department, bureau,
office, or agency Of the federal gov
eminent or of State, or by an indus
trial, banking, labor, or other associa-
ton, and he is authorized to obtain
such additional facts and statistics as
may be necessary to carry out the
provisions Of this section"
The bill further provides that the
head of each department shall be
authorized, upon the advice Of the
President. to postpone or reduce pub
lie improvements ito prepare for and
to prevent further rise in the cycli-
hl wave Of industrial expansion" but
one may easily imagine the protests
which would arise among. those d.
rectly affected by the public improve
ment under consideration. 1t is not
difficult to see how the head of a de-
partment might easily make himself
unpopular, and it isn't in the nature
of such to seek unpopuIarity. 1t
would. on the contrary be a strong
bid for popularity to expend money
on public works during a dull sea-
son. There accordingly seems to be
likelihood, in event some such meas
ure receives a passage, that the net
result will be to increase money ex-
pended for public Improvements. That,
however. doesn't necessarily condemn
the measure, and the fault If fault
there is might be susceptible Of cor
rection.
Statistics recently collected show a
grand total loss in wages, in 1920 and
1921 of around five billion dollars.
Some of that was as beneficial as the
loss of flesh in cases of obesity. Some
of it wasn't. II the latter could be
helped in the way suggested most
would favor the measure. of relief.
But considering the unsatisfactory
attempts made in foreign countries to
regulate such matters. considering our
own sad and expensive experience
with Government management, 1t be-
comes eminently proper to give the
Kenyon bill or any similar proposition
very careful examination before
granting approval.