Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-12
WOULD HELP idle
BY DIVIDING WORK
Hoover's Plan Is to Keep More
Men Employed, Although
Fewer Hours Per Week
SPEED PUBLIC PROJECTS
BY CLINTON w. GILBERT

StnH CorrespOndent Evening Pubic ledEer
Copprtpht. 1871 bv Public Ledger Compdny
Washington. Sept. 12.-The object OF
the unemployment conference, which
Secretary Hoover is forming. Is to or
ranizs on a national scale the task Of
finding work for the jobless and reliev-
ing those for whom work cannot be
found. Usually in the past this has
been left to local committees and to
voluntary effort.
From his experience IN feeding Bel
rum and other impoverished nationali-
ties of Europe. Mr.. Hoover feels the
unemployment can be more effectively
solved by a central organization. one
difficulty of leaving it TO Local cities is
illustrated by what is happening in
Portland. Ore. which has done more
than any other community 10 prepare
for the hard winter that Is coming.
Portland IS effectively organized with
the result that the wOrkless are drifting
there from Tacoma. Seattle and Salem.
which are not organized creating n
problem too great for Portland 10 handle.
The Portland plan is thus described
In telegram from Mayor Barker to
Mr.. Hoover: THE Portland unemplOy.
ment plan provides for Ave directors of
various phases Of work. All directors
are influential business men One has
charge OF public employment. getting
Governmental agencies. including State,
city. county State Highway Depart
ment. School Board. rrr.. 10 do all
possible public Improvement work dur
ing the winter.
Divide Up Employment
"Anothpr director has industries and
will organize plants 10 do all pN>sihl"
winter work and. if necessary, To CO.
operate in general plan Of dividing up
employment so that Unemployment will
not be confined to one group all the
time.
Still another has charge. with as
sistanCe of Rod Cross. Of providing and
creating work for women.
"a fourth director has charge Of
establishing emergency relief. includ-
ing a public fuel ward. wherp men
without families will be- given work
chopping wood, for board and room. We
have selected an abandoned shipyard
and II will be self sustaining.
1.-THE Mayor iS thC fifth director and
he will be the general supervisor. A
rock pile will be opened for the won t
work class.
"Pubicity will BE- used TO warn
against influx of men. We have co.
operation and support "f governmental
agencies. organized labor. business and
industrial interests and the press. which
Is absolutely essential for success.
Mr.. Hooyer's Plans
Mr.. Hoover has two general ideas for
the relief Of the unemployed. One
e. L. .hAr t1
among the workers so that al will have
week and with less earnings instead OF
having some fully employed and the
, rest idle. This he would do BY the sys-
tenn of staggered hours and the organ
ling Of men into shifts.
Particularly on the railroads woulC
Mr.. Hoover like 10 see this done. A.
it IL now when engineers are laid of
on the railroads they have TO take the
place of fircmon under an agreement
with the unions. The firemen displaced
are employed at the next lower grade
and the lower clnSsNs Of labor are
pushed out of employment.
Mr.. Hoover would like to see what
engineers work there Is divided uT
among the engineers and 50 on through
the grades, 50 that all would have EN-
ployment, though for fewer days Z
week
There are obvious difficulties in tht
way of this plan. arrangements Will
unions, inertia Of employers and a Ger.
tain amount Of disorganization il
plants. The easiest way is to lay Of
the less efficient. Mr.. Hoover desire
to call employers together TO persuad
them to take the more difficult but so
cially fairer way Of dividing work VI
rather than dsmissing the superfuous
Would Start Public Work
Besides staggered hours. Mr.. Hoovp
wants to create jobs by urging the he
ginning Of necessary public works