The Bozeman courier., 1921-09-21
WILL STUDY PROBLEM
OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Washington, Sept. 21.-A confer
ence Of national consequence schedu,- !
ed for September is to be called by
the president to consider the unem-
ployment problem. Secretary Hoov-
er Of the department Of commerce has
been delegated by the president to
formulate plans for the conference
Working in closest cooperation with
Secretary Hoover is Secretary Davis,
Of the department. of labor.
There is nothing about the calling
OF this conference which furnishes any
justification for "alarmist" reports or
pessimistic propaganda. It is simply
a case of locking the door before the
horse is stolen. The calling Of the
conference was decided upon some
time ago when reports regarding un-
employment were more serious than
they are today. One of President
Harding's characteristics is foresight
ednees, and his deS;sion to make an
intensive study of the unemployment
situation and take steps to prevent
its becoming serious is characteristic
of his forward looking policy in deal
ing with large problems.
The first thing before the confer
ence viii be a careful sitting of unem-
ployment statistics. 1t is confident
ly anticipated that when figures are
presented showing actual amount of
idleness, it will be appreciably less
than represented by data which has
been given out to date. The basis Of
this belief is the fact that estimates
recently given out showing nearly six
million industrial workers out of en-
ployment, were based upon the num-
Der of workers laid off or discharged
since January 1, 1920, when produc-
ton was at its peak and industries
were employing tens of thousands not
normally engaged in industrial pur-
suits. Neither did these estimates
take any account of the re-employ-
ment in other lines of those who have
been separated from industrial pay
rolls since January /, 1920.
For example, it is common knowl-
I edge, from one end of the country to
The other, that last year and the year
before hundreds of schools in nearly
every state were closed on account of
being unable to obtain school teachers
in -SomrNtition with wages in the
cities. Furthermore, it is common
knowledge that the drift from country
) to city during the period 1916 to 1920
was the greatest ever known in the
United States and was due wholly to
high wages offered in industrial CEN
ters. In addition to these two ex-
amples, there might be cited the fact
that thousands of young women who
did not have to work were attracted
Z to payrolls of large industrial con
Z Germs by the high wages offered be
cause it afforded them a handsome
income which they could use for pin
: money. The high wages Of industry
also attracted domestic help to sucl
an extent that the servant problem
: became very serious one every
: where.
Since January 1, 1920, the bulk O.
: these classes Of industrial employs
. have been dismissed and consequent
: Fly appear in the unemployment col
umns in tables of statistics. In poin
+. Of fact. however, a very large percen
: tage of them are not unemployed
: Women who abandoned school teach
z ing to work in office or factory hav
returned to their profession; servant
: who left domestic employment :
: work in industrial plants have return
rs ed to their former vocation. Hun