The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-03
SOLVING ECONOMIC PRoBnEMs.

1
have an important bearing upon the
| future industrial activity within the
United States was given impetus re-
Gently at a meeting at Syracuse, N. Y,
when. machinery was perfected for
| making a great national assay of
| waste, in which from 100,000Nto 2o0,-
600 engineers will attempt to locate
the weaknesses in the country's pro-
duction system. At the Syracuse
meeting 1t was announced that a pre-
liminary survey already had been or
ganized and that this will result in
the investigation of various elements
contributing to industrial loss, includ-
ing labor conflict, decrease in individ-
ual productivity, lack of coordination,
etc. The investigation is being under
taken by a committee Of engineers I'M
der the direction of Herbert Hoover
The work of this committee will be
nationwide and is described as the
most ambitious movement in the 6f-
reetion of solving economic problems
ever undertaken by American engi-
neers. 1t is the intention of the COM
mittee in its capacity as one of the
functioning departments of the Fed
Grated American Engineering societies
to enlist the services of the engineers
Of the country thru the agency of the
hundreds of national and local engi-
organize this vast force of technical
men on a territorial basis, each state
having an engineering organization,
the American engineering council
serving as the executive organ.
In an address before the council,
Mr.. Hoover declared there is too much
waste in production, caused by I'M
employment. loss of time due to labor
conflict, misfits and~lack of interest.
as result of these influences, he said
that America today is producing only
about 60 per cent of her capacity.
The distributing system of the nation
also is weak and seriously defective.
There is plenty of coal at. the mines,
but a scarcity at distributing points.
Similarly. in some parts of the world
people are facing starvation, while here
in this country the farmers are hold
ing back their products. Distribution
halts. in the opinion of Mr.. Hoover.
largely because of poor and insuffi-
cient transportation facilities, conges-
ton OF population in great centers,
and also because of unused water
power. canals and waterways and
similar neglect of electric power
plants.
For these defects-in the industrial!
2
fers the following definite plan as a
remedy: First, he would provide an
adequate national employment service
to aid in the distribution of labor and
promote seasonal employment. His
next suggestion is that the expansion
of industrial plants should be pushed
in periods of slack demand, rather
than in boom times. Greater stan
dardlzation of basic products and tools
he regards as essential. explaining
that excessive individualism in indus
try has led to manifold and wasteful
varieties in every day buying. There
also should be a larger use of water
power, thru a wider distribution of
electric power plants The use of in
land waterways must be revived, and
the Great Lakes must be unlocked to
ocean going vessels. To round out this
program, he says there must be the
machinery and the spirit for indus
trial Cancellation, thereby to minimize
strikes. lockouts and the present ex-
pensive labor turnover.
There is nothing fanciful, imprac-
teal or even excessively difficult In
the Hoover program. 1t is a program,
in fact, that has so much of common
sense and evident merit that most
business men quickly will endorse it,
in whole or part. and will hope to sec
its practical application brought
about. And Mr.. Hoover can do much
to make this hope a reality in the
position to which Mr.. Harding has
called him.