New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-10-14
CONFERENCE HAS
HARD PROBLEM
QUESTION OF UNEMPLOYMENT IS
BEING DISCUSSED IN THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
MIRACLES CAN'T BE EXPECTED
President Harding and Others Hope,
However, That Some Wise Plan May
Be Formulated to Put the Worthless
at Work.
BY EDWARD g.. CLARK.

Westinghouse was the prophet
Jeremiah who said I'm the multitude
of councillors there is safety" There
Is q multitude Of cOunsellOrs here In
Washington discussing the question
Of unemployment. Safety, as Jeremiah
used 1t, perhaps success, and SO
1t may be that the truth of the
prophets saying will be put to the
test in Washington a considerable
number of years after he delivered
himself Of the u%tterance.
Variety is said to be the spice of
life. There Is enough variety In the
occupation Of the delegates to the in
dustrial conference to give spice. il
not success, to the outcome.
All kinds, and conditions
of men. and of women, too. for that
matter, are represented about the
board of council. Secretary Of Com
merce Hoover and Secretary OF Labor
Davis represent the administration,
and In a larger sense the government
Of the United States, although presum-
ably, the c%Onferees being patriotic
Americans, all Of them must be con-
sidered as representing the high inter-
ests Of their country.
President Harding. 1t is known,
lays, as we ordinary folk frequently
say, great store" on the outcome Of
this talk on industrial conditions and
unemployment, and this active en-
deavOr to get some suggestion which
will result In putting the jObless back
at work.
Can't Expect Magic Results.
Some time ago an article vas
written which pointed out to the
people of the United States the fact
that the coming conference of the
nations In Washington was not a con-
ference to bring about complete dis
armament, but n conference to dis
cuss means of limiting armament. IL
also was pointed out that because such
a conference Is to be held no n
~dreadnOughts are to be scrapped and
armies disbanded, and that a cote full
of peace doves is certain to rule the
roost, so to speak, in every community
of the round world.
The coming international conference
Is going to try to suggest something
to stop the huge outlay every year
for weapons of offense and weapons of
defense, and the conference which
Is assembled In Washington to discuss
the Industrial situation Is going To try
to suggest ways and means for giving
every willing person work to do. but
II does not necessarily follow that as
an outcome of the discussions every
jobless one I'm the United States
quickly is to be assured of work TO
lay his hand to on a Monday, with sure
knowledge that he is to lay his hand
to n pay envelope on the following
Saturday.
This smay sound pessimistic, but the
best that can come out of the con-
ference is some happy suggestion given
by some inspired n which may work
u n solution for the present pressing
problem Of lack OF work.
A. to Jobless Veterans.
The American Legion officials say
that there are between 100000 and
100000 veterans of the World war out
Of Jobs today. Recently Secretary OF
Labor Davis has said that there has
been an oyer-estimate of the whole
number of voorhees, ones In the United
States. The secretary thinks that il
is only about 5,OOO,OOO whereas the
figures set it at 6,0OO,OOO.
II would seem that the American
Legion's figures on unemployment In
the ranks of the eX-soldiers must be
TOO high. Ii they are not, the situation
with regard To the men who fought
for their country. or who were willing
TO fight for it, Is nothing less than
appalling. They are, Of course. worse
off than are the other voorhees, ones
who did not 90 into the army, because
the latter made plenty of money dur
Ing the war. driving rivets. or doing
something else which they flattered
themselves was essential war work.
OF course IL may be that the men who
were In civil life during the war and
who now ere jobless, have spent all
the excess profits which they made and
thar therefore their present condition
f. as bad as that OF the veterans, but
the former soldiers were paid only
about a dollar a day while they were
in the army. and they could not save
any money.
Some of the law makers are ready
enough to declare that the question of
unemployment In the United States Is
the hardest Of all questions to solve.
and that they actually feel helpless
when confronted with it. Others than
the law makers get rather hopeless
over the thing. but to tell the truth
there seems to be some hope here that
in the conference some inspired person
may suggest something or other which
will work and put men back to work.
All Support Arms Conferences.
Democrats in congress and ont have
promised that they win support every
effort of the administration to make
the conference on limitation of arma-
ments a % This mean that
unless something happens the confer