Evening journal., 1921-10-27

eToBduon 10 attempt TO point out |
the causes OF unemployment. We
pay go back several years to some
OF the fundamental causes. The war
itself is a cause. When the first gun |
was fired in August 1914, the found
alton was laid for some OF the con
ditions which exist today. When the
japanese began their wild specuia-
ton In silk. which later resulted in
collapse, another step was taken
towards unemployment here in the
United States When union workers
Stacked on the job, raised wages too
high, and Increased prices abnormal
ly the present unemployment was
visualized to the economist. We are
merely going through the regular
channels incident to the war, to
artificial prosperity. TO extravaganza
and to the many phases that the
war intensified during its four years.
But we can come down a little
closer and view the problem. After
the armistice, extravaganza, high
prices and so-called prosperity con-
tinued. This prosperity was artificial;
II was like the enthusiasm Of the
man who has taken too much drink.
II was caused by an artificial slim
ulant and the aftermath was bound
to be remorse and a bad headache.
When the period OF exultation. stim-
ulation and the enthusiasm ended
and the headache set in. the union
lists tried to continue the orgy and
thus intensity the headache and the
remorse. In order to mitigate the
inevitable results there should have
been cooperation by industry and
the workers. There was no such CO.
operation. There was a determined
union effort to maintain high wages
which in turn maintained high
prices and which again in sturn
brought about the so-called buyers
strike. Even when the strike was
apparent there was no attempt on
the part OF union leaders to use
common sense. Instead Of accepting
economic wage reductions they de-
manded Increased wages and in
stead Of cooperating. they went
on strike. Practically the same, con-
dition exists today. Among the un-
employed there will be found a
large number OF strikers who are
insisting upon the maintenance OF
! the impossible war wages. II there
had been common sense in union
labor leadership we would not have
an unemployment situation today
as exists. We would have a much
better industrial condition and we
would be better prepared to start
the real movement towards prosper
ity which Is now held in aheyance
because OF upset labor conditions.
There is only one sure cure for
unemployment and II anyone has
any, doubt as to what It Is. he had
better study the official French in
dustrial records. We noted about
two months ago the official figures
showed a total OF forty-seven thou
sand unemployed in the whole oi
France. The last figures show less
, than eighteen thousand. There il
no unemployment In France. ther'
is very little In Germany and prac
tically none in Belgium. The an
. swer as to the reason for such Z
situation abroad Is perfectly plain
Labor exercised common sense and
practiced cooperation with the en-
ployer. The result has been justi
fed but while II is we'll known t'
union leaders In the United States
the Condition in France, Belgium
and Germany has had no effect upor
them. It seems utterly futile to ap
peal to the common sense OF oVi
] Gompers type Of leaders Most o
, the workers understand the situa
tion and are resentfui OF this kint
OF leadership. but in unionism ther'
is complete ablution Of will an'
power and strength, and unioi
, workers follow their leaders sheep
ishly. Unionism with intelligent lead
ership would eventually make grea
strides in this country. But union
u ism under present foolish and in
D sane leadership in retrogradinl
o hourly When the war record o
ffty-three hundred strikes is real
> lied Il is foolish to appeal to thei
patriotism. Therefore, If there
neither intelligence, nor patriotism
#, the job is apparently hopeless.
y The following letter which ap
y reared In a recent number OF tn
o New York, Herald explains itself:
3. Looking out OF our windows
into Bryant Park we see several
hundred men sleeping on the
y grass in the day time. We can
IT not imagine what they do at
= night. From newspaper stories
one might suppose all this ag-
gregation was made up Of ex-
. service men.
zone OF our friends who runs
a restaurant near Bryant Park
solicited the entire aggregation
- in order to employ dishwasher
at So a day and board. Il might
-. might be thought he would he
III mobbed In offering such job
ru to a bunch Of unemployed who
had to sleep in the park. In
stead OF that he was laughed at
~ and derided.
'u ut Is easier for some OF this
bunch OF hoboes to go on Fifth
- Avenue and heg than 10 work.
"A This is an indication OF the true
.,s situation as far as the publicity
=. end OF the unemployment buga-
~ boo is concerned. But as FIN
40 anciaI factor II has impressed a
great many
,ir II has been difficult TO follow q
al o,.ra tions Of the revenue bill in q