The Washington herald., 1921-08-29
Asks Secretary Hoover to
Draft Program for
Gathering.
VARIOUS SECTIONS
TO BE RECOGNIZED
Aim Will Be to Avert
Suffering Due to Un-
employment.
BY ROBERT J. BENDER.

President Harding, within the
next few weeks. will call a national
conference in Washington TO combat
the unemployment crisis. A better
understanding must be reached, the
President believes. between workers
and employers, IL the present dis
satisfaction Of labor is not TO be IN
| creasingly famed by lack OF en-
ployment
The move is the first on a preten-
tious scale to be undertaken since
former President Wilson called an
industrial conference in the fall OF
1919. Mr.. Wilson was unable per-
sonally TO address or cooperate
with that conference, because of his
illness, and IL later Virtually COL
lapsed through withdrawal of the
| labor representation
VIII Lay Down Principles
President Harding. however, at
taches both hope and great impor-
tance to the gathering he will call
in September. He will personally
set forth his expectations in an ad-
dress TO the conference on its open
ing day, laying down the principles
upon which the government seeks TO
remedy the present situation.
In anticipation Of this, he has
asked Secretary OF Commerce Hoover
to draft a workable program. which
will keep the conference down TO
the minimum compatible with
prompt and effective negotiation;
and. il the same time, Bee thatvitally
affected elements in the situstioh
are given a hearing. Mr.. Hoover eN-
poets to have plans for the confer
ence ready for submission TO Mr.
Harding within ten days
Mr.. Hoover will cooperate with
Secretary OF Labor Davis on the
question Of labor representation. AL
sections OF the country will be rec
ognized in the conference and rep
resentatives Of the greater employ.
ment industries will be called
Davis VIII Cooperate.
For some time the question OF IN.
employment has been a subject si
increasing concern TO the admins.
tration. Mr. Hoover already has az.
pCaled TO the different states TO ef.
bark upon road construction pro.
grams as a means OF giving those
without work something to do. W
addition. he has numerous VolUh
teer comfittees at work on a EiEan.
tic program y standardized house
building. IN the hope pf getting 8
"ation- wide bui'ding C-a .aunchu
m the near future as DoCn 60 th,
workless.
SuEEestIons Made by EmrIoyers.
In explaining the object OF the ma.
tional conference 10 be called b,
President Harding, Secretary HOove,
declared it will be 10 inquire int
the volume of needed employment
the distribution OF unemployment
to make recomme ndations as Il
measures that can properly H.
taken in co-ordinated speeding up o:
employment by inductries and pub
lie bodies during the next winter
and in addition. a broad study
the economic measures desirable L
ameliorate the Unemployment situa
ton and give impulse to the re
covery of business and commerce e
normal. Many constructive sugges
tions have been made to the de
partment by employers. the COVER
nors Of States. and city officials.
Must Prevent Suffering.
While the business situation 4
steadily improving. yet some sec
hausted their savings by the com
ing winter and they must be
matter of extreme soliCitude.
1T is inconceivabIe that America
with its surplus in food and cloth
ing, with housinE-thouEh crowd
ed-and with an abundance of fue.
could allow any suffering amonEs
those OF our own people who desir
to work. il is necessary that W
should be forchanded in the prepa
ration OF such measures as will pre-
vent any such suffering"
The decision of the government C.
act on the Unemployment situatio,
comes following. though not neces
Sarily as a result OF, two importan
developments OF the last few DAY;
Failure of the Congress TO enact tn
railroad financing bill. held by Nj
Harding 10 be vital in the interes
of bringing employment TO thous
ands Of idle railroad shop and main
tenance- -of-way workers. was re
garded as a blow in the govern
ment's efforts TO relieve unemploy
ment.
100000 Ouf Of Work.
And. too. the American FederatiO
OF Labor. beginning Labor Day,
to launch a tremendous campaig
to enlist unemployed in the rank
of organized labor with a Join no.
ard labor will help you through tn
winter" slogan. LabOr's purpose /
this campaign is to use a greatl
augfented membership az leyerag
against the nationwide open shop
movement
Estimates of the Labor Depart
ment Show that some 5.O0O.OO me
in the country are without wor
today. Adding to these the tamilie
Of these men, there is represented
numerical strength that cannot b
,nored. il is held. with the haro
hips of winter approaching.