Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-03
HARDING To HURRY
CONGRESS IN WORK
by DAVID LAWRENCE
tLeased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1921

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-The .un-
derlying purpose Of the unemploy-
ment conference called by President
Harding is to get congress employed.
less the Republican majority gets
busy and passes the legislation which
is needed to stimulate business
throughout the country the number
Of jobless folk will increase instead
Of diminish this winter, and the con-
develop considerable danger for the
party in power.
Congress Is taking a vacation at
present and the administration reluc-
family consented to the recess. But
when both houses reconvene the
drive will begin to clear the calen-
dar of the vital measures when
most everybody believes will mean
better industrial and business cond1-
lions.
Few officials can be found wfso
think the mere calling Of an unSm.
ployment conference can produce JOBS
for the idle or food for the hungry;
The most that can be accomplished
is the collecting of data as to the
true conditions Of unemployment, and
the laying of that data conspicuously
on the doorsteps of the capitol as a
sort of mute warning to the Repun-
licans that theirs is the response
bi1ity for action on pending bills IL
is for the psychological effect that
the conference is being called.
What Harding Wants
President Harding wants congress
to do several things which in his
opinion will speed the return to nor
malcy.
First, the president wants the
pending treaties with Germany and
Austria ratified so that Americas
foreign relations will be clarified and
trade resumed with central Europe.
Second, Mr.. Harding wants au-
thority given at once to Secretary
Mellon to arrange with the allies
for the payment Of interest and prin-
cipal on the ten billions Of dollars
owed US. Thus, it is hoped, that by
definitely fixing the time Of payments
the allies will be able to calculate
upon the amounts they must set
aside every year toward the payment
of the debt and when the allied gov
ernments begin to finance themselves
on definite basis the value Of their
currency will increase and interna-
tional exchange, which Is the basis
of all trade, will tend to become
equalized. With exchange improved,
the purchasing power of Europe will
gradually return. Once the purchas-
ing power of Europe is restored,
American surplus goods can be ex-
ported and the firms which have
closed down their factories will want
to reopen them so as to supply Eu-
rope. Indeed, the international bank
ers who have favored the League of
Nations and American cooperation
with Europe in matters Of finance
have argued that American factories
would never have closed down If two
years ago the United States had rat
flied the Versailles treaty and en-
tered into closer financial relation
ship with Europe. However that may
he, the fact is the same argument is
being made now in behalf of the
Hughes-Knox treaty, namely. that
ratification will stabilize economic
conditions" in Europe and thus help
America to sell her goods.
Congress Backward
Third, congress has been vainly
urged to use the war finance corpor-
alton to use it's funds to pay the
railroads certain sums owed them.
This, it has been contended, would
mean the placing of half a billion
dollars of money into purchases for
equipment and would mean that the
steel business and other trades af-
fected by railroad DEVELOPMENT would
have to take back many of the men
they have laid off. Mr.. Harding
pleaded with congress to act on the
railroad bill before 1t recessed sc
that an improvement in the indus
trial situation might result, but the
senate refused to allow the plea tC
interfere with it's plans for month s
vacation.
Fourth, congress has debated first
the tariff and then the revenue bill
and has failed to pass either one
The administration has urged action
right along, contending that the bus
mess men of the country want tc
know what their taxes will be before
they make any plans for expansion
or the reopening of factories now
closed down. It is practically as
difficult to operate a business with
out knowing the size of the years
tax bill as to try to get along with
out knowing from week to week OF
year to year what the payroll will
be. Business petitioned congress
to hurry up and get the, tax bill
through by July 1, so that planning
| could be done during the summer
months. Now it will be late autumn
The administratio will have to keeI
congress constantly reminded of Its
duty to get results on the tax bill
| the passage Of which is expected tc
stimulate business.
The unemployment conference Is
generally commended in Washing
| ton as a move in the direction of dis
covering the true facts, but Wher
anybody asks an administration Of
| fetal what is to be done with the
| facts, what remedies are proposed
| the inevitable answer Is a shrug Oh
| the shoulders and the expression OF
and employ itself with pending leg