The New York herald., 1921-09-28
SHARINCDALY WORK
TO MAKE more JOBS,
PLAN in EMERGENCY
Manufacturers Propose the
First Real Measure at
. Conference.
ADOPTION URGED NOW
Booster Month With Low
Prices Suggested as
Stimulant.
GOMPERS SNUBS LEDOUX
$4,000 Idle Ex-Service Men in
New York City Mostly
Unskilled.
ADOPTION URGED NOW
GOMPERs sNUBs LEDOUX

Special Despatch to THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., Sept. "a.
New hours of employment, a re
duction in the number of working
hours a day and a cut in the length
of the work week, so that the greatest
number Of men and women may have
livelihood from American industries,
are the emergency measures agreed
on to-day by the manufacturers COM
mittee as the first specific results Of
President Harding's conference on un-
employment.
The measures are to be urged for
adoption by all manufacturers at once
as means of cutting down materially
the number of persons out of work.
1t is matter of emergency alone to
relieve the needs Of those who want
work but who, because of the depres-
sion in industry. are unable to get it.
With temporary requirements full
filled, the committee Of manufacturers
will proceed more leisurely and with
the hope Of finding more lasting
remedy for getting industry back on
normal footing.
This agreement. together with views
expressed before the committee on pub
lie hearings, featured the days session
Of the unemployment conference which.
In groups, struggled with the problem
set by President Harding and Secretary
Hoover. The committees made headway
with the questions assigned to them. but
that OF the manufacturers arrived at the
only specfhc recommendations.
Hone for General Adoption.
1t is expected that MIR. Hoover. AS
chairman OF the conference, will call
the assembly together tomorrow to
hear the emergency recommendations
for manufacturers. As soon as the con'
ference agrees to them the recommends
tions will be sent throughout the coun-
try in the hope that they will be adopted
generally There is reason to suppose
they will be accepted by manufacturers
and labor. since they represent an agree
ment among all members OF the COM
mitee. made up OF men Of widely diver
sihcd purposes. such as Charles NJ.
Schwab and Samuel Gompers.
with the relief proposed IL Is the be-
lief of the committee that much imrne-
riiate suffering will be relieved. 1t will
be "A sacrifice to some who are now
working on full time; but II will be
only temporary and will have its COM
pensations In the fact that those now
idle will have a source OF revenue. The
scheme is in force now In some manu-
Ca a. y,fo onfu a MI
by certain of the labor groups affected.
The real struggle In the manufacture
ers committee will be raised by the
matter Of permanent readjustment. TWO
distinct lines OF thought have developed.
divided for the most part between the
employers and employees over the re-
duction of wages. Certain manufactur-
crs say wages must come down before
industry can be helped to any great ex-
tent Labor leaders such as Samuel
Csorpers insist there must be a readjust-
ment of selling methods. There Is stu
a. third thought. which takes its stand
in the middle of the road. that there
must be an honest get together by both
factions.
In consequence there is some talk OF
the possibility OF organizing "a booster
month" to be observed throughout the
nation when every line Of industry
would be stimulated through chambers
of commerce, Rotary clubs and all other
organizations 1t would be In a sense
n concerted drive by everybody. capital
and labor alike, to get back to normal.
Manufacturers would be urged to cut
their prices on goods. retailers to move
their stocks with as narrow margin
as possible and wage earners to 20 back
TO work In face of these reductions with
a slash In their pay. 1t is only one of
the schemes being urged upon. the con-
ference.
Problems Outlined by "Hernld."
IN the manufacturers committee to-
day THE NEW YORK HERALD's editorial
on the unemployment situation was read
with favorable comment. II was pre-
scntcd as an authoritative statement Of
the problems confronting the unemploy-
ment conference and a possible solution.
THE NEW York HERALD's suggestions,
incidentally, were In line with the state
nents of the first witness before the
public hearings, committee OF the confer
ence Russell F. Phelps. Director OF Sta
tistics OF the department of Labor and
Statistics OF Massachusetts,. He talked
Of conditions in Massachusetts. but they
were held to be typical OF those In other
sections OF the country where there are
industrial enterprises he said:
People still are trying TO maintain
their positions In the new industries that
they selected during the war. The un-
employment situation Is not due entirely
to the lack OF work. but partly 10 lack
of work at the wages which people in
stat on receiving.
AT present the public employment
cfflce OF Massachusetts, IL receiving
thirteen applicants for every position
offered as contrasted with peak OF
thirty-six applicants 10 one position in
May"
Mr. Phelps said conditions In Massa-
chusctts are much improved. particularly
IN the textile industry. some OF the fac
tories working nights. The boot and
shoe factories also nre increasing forces,
lie explained. together with the hours OF
operation week. He believed the low
point OF unemployment was passed in
May. fsHat
Harry ID. Jacobs, president OF the Ex-
Service Mems Employment Bureau Of
New York. said that on September
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