Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-09-02
4 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER .. 1921.
Problem of Unemployment.

IT HERE is no concrete problem in Amer
lean life today more pressing or more
distressing than that of dealing with the
unemployment of hundreds Of thousands of
men and women. y year ago il was official
ly estimated that 100000 workers were
without employment and reflection upon
that fact caused widespread alarm But
1t is now officially estimated that more than
100000 men and women are joblcss and
the total is growing instead of shrinking
Fault for this condition cannot be laid
wholly upon the government or upon the
Shortcomings of any political party. 1t is
question that transcends politics and one
With which the government itself can deal
only in limited way. No President or Con-
gress can force the return of prosperity by
artificial means. None can practice magic
and none can literally overcome the in
eXorablc economic laws
American business is stagnant. and il is
stagnant for many reasons The reaction
OF frightful war is the nose potential of
s these reasons. Trade relationships with
other nations are in suspense. Great en-
pires like Russia and China are famine
stricken and are on nonproducg basis
Southern Europe is only slowly recon
structing itself and markets ordinarily open
to American producers now closed
These are merely few of the aspects OF
= the situation, the reflex OF which is felt in
America True. this country escaped the
ravages of invading armies and destructive
: navies. Americans are fortunate. more
fortunate than they realize But this great
productive continent cannot live happily and
prosperously in ISOLATION. II must trade
with the remainder OF the world il it is 10
move forward. ndlhare i; now little world
trade 10 consume t!.e. vast surplus which
Americans produce The net result is de-
preston far and wide with the Inevitable
increase in unemployment
The Federal government however can
not escape e measure ii respons bility for
The misfortune now oFically recognized in
the calling OF The unemployment confer
ence rho dominan; party canno, take
refuge in the assumption tina, il Is totally
poweriess. II is not powerlc5s There are
. certain remedies which il might apply with
effect if it had the broad s,atesmanship and
->the vision and the courage 10 apply them
s. 1t might abandon its prepostcrous protec-
& Zionist policy 81 such a time as this II
might realize that it is Impossible for
Il America TO engage once more IN Wholesale
.AtTade with the world while engaged in the
5s6usiness Of building tariff wall around
SSthis country designed 10 prohibit foreign
Ri competition Instead the Republican, re-
gime from The President down is bent upon
va tariff policy that cannot tail to initiate
aagainst American business in the end and
ITO sprotract the peiod Of unemployment
go Then. too. the party in power might have
understood months ago the American do
3 mestic business could no, rehabilitatc itself
/ as long as it WIS in state OF doubt regard
Gdng internal taxation y special session Of
Congess was called primarily TO revise tax
alton, but it has now recessed wi.hoVt doing
so.
Perhaps the unemployment conference
soon 10 be held achieve some substan-
( tial results If it does not and /. favorable
results do not come in the natural order
of things, the Republican party will bc
+ held accountable in the next election for
employment conditions whether it is or is
Z, no, responsible