The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1921-10-07
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD.

Most important of last weeks
events in the United States was the
opening of the national conference on
unemployment. The social economists
and captains of industry summoned to
Washington by President Harding are
not expected to work miracles or to
find a way in which immediate and
remunerative employment can be given
all the millions of involuntary idle in
the country, but there is reason to
believe they can devise means for re-
lieving the distressing situation. In
a general way, the solution of the
problem as the leaders in the confer
ence see it, is a plan of cooperation
among employers and with govern
mental construction agencies to dis
tribute, regulate and increase the vol
ume of employment in slack seasons.
Among the broad phases of the prob
lem, as stated by Secretary of Com
merce Hoover, are:
A determination of the volume and
distribution Of employment.
Emergency measures to provide en-
ployment and mitigate suffering that
may arise during the coming winter.
Measures which may aid In restor-
ing commerce and employment to
normal.
Immediately after the opening SEES
sion nine subcommittee got busy, and
so rapidly did they work that the
conference reassembled Friday-a
week earlier than had been expected
to consider a general emergency re-
lief program. At this writing it is
not possible to give an outline of this
program, but some of its suggestions
made by the manufacturers, are as
follows:
Unite existing private and public
organizations to put through a con-
structive program for your community.
See that there is a suitable en-
plOyment exchange in your cOmmun-
ity.
Assist private and public employ
ers and labor organizations rather
than have any single civic or family
welfare agency or combination of
agencies assume the full responsibility.
Bring to the attention of public au-
thorities specific recommendations for
increasing volume of public work
Urge both private and public en-
ployers to distribute labor by rota-
ton in shifts of three days or more
at time.
Persuade each industry TO absorb
nr
Urge not only private and public
employers but individual household
ers and property owners TO make i'm
pro1ements, repairs, and general
sprucing up of properties.
Formulate standards and rules for
temporary employment for those out
Of work dealing with rotation Of
shifts; wages-preference to resident
family men, etc.
See that decent sanitary accOmmO-
dations for homeless men are made
and differentiate between resident
and floating unemployed.
Discourage migration of unem-
ployed to and from your community.
In opening the coNference President
diuluS Ndllltu II tlltl lllt uNtilliills-
tration would be opposed to any plan
that involved a further drain on the
public treasury. In this he differs 4
with the policy followed in England,
where, of course, the conditions are
lot the same. The British government
mas been paying out many millions Of
dollars in unemployment insurance,
md the situation there seems to be
growing worse. Lloyd George admits
it is appalling" Last week many
coal mines in South Wales were closed
down, and to add to the trouble the
period for which the state subsidy of
mine wages was granted expired Fri
day, and the country faced the posi-
hility Of another great miners strike.
Ono nf tho c11ract nrOof M lOuaI