New-York tribune., 1922-12-18
Out
OF Jobs MUS,
Davis Reports
Labor Crisis Past. but the
Nation Must Prevent He
currence and Lessen I'm
employed Now, He Says
Sees Normal Conditions
Asserts Federal Service Bu'
rcau Was a Big Aid in
Cutting Number Of Idle
.n ~. rrsu~s's WoIAsAston Bvrs

y,s,n ne Trbu~ss WoshtActoa Bureos
WASHINGTON. Dec. i7s-Proposalr
for the prevention Of future unstnploy-
ment troubles and for the reduction
Of the normal number Of woTkless men
/ In the eountry were MADE ysstsrety
I By Secretary OF Labor James J. DAVIS
/ In MS annual report. He saidi
LESS than a year ago u was est,
mated that between b,o0oooO acc
I 6.O00. 900 wofktrb we're without jooh
I Ne were IN the thross Of one OF the
greatest industrial depressions ne had
ever known. There was q grave danger
that the mere operatiea Of the Law of
supply and demand would force drae'
tic rearranger1ent OF wages which
would seriously deprsss cur standard
Of living and radically alter our whole
economic structure.
~The nation fought ia way through
this period OF unemployment, and To-
day the demand for labor practically
equals the supply. We are back At
normal In our employment. But We
have made the startling discovery that
normal In America means that appro1i-
mAtely a million and a half workmen
are detached from any payroll.
Two Problems n Be Net
~Herc we have two problems 70
mest--to prevent a recurrence Of the
employment depression which threT
between 1000. 900 and 100000 men
into idieneSs ard 10 reduce the number
OF cur workingTnen who are daily with
out means Of livelihood.
I'VE have a powerful agency IN
meeting both Of these problems In the
United states Employment Service
which, fully organized and equipped,
would have is singer az all times upon
the pulse Of the labor supply and
demand OF the country. The last year
this service. with is cooperating
agencies, proved its effectiveness. IL
listed about 100000 workers. seeh-
ing employment and placed nearly
1 300. 900 Of them IN Jobs without ex-
pense % the worker or employer. lts
usefulness and the need for it's de-
velopment ere plain.
"The causes Of idlsness among our
woYkmen call for instant remedy. In
duttrial strife and Unemployment offer
opportunities 10 the enemy OF govern
rent too favorable for US TO overlook
them. Wherever worker and employer
clash and wherever men are IN en-
forced idleness there Is the oppor-
tunity for the unserupulous employer
with his hired guard. his mercenary
pluQ-uRly. There, too, the ultra-red
radical finds conditions ripe for his
efforts.
Subveypion Of Laws MenAeed
Beth threaten the subversion Of all
government az they preach contempt
FOR law and order, and By stirring the
passions and hate Of men bring 10 frui-
tion their gospel Of violence and blood
she'd. These things are a menace 10
oar whole national existence. They
threaten the fundamentals OF our gov
eminent. No duty is more pressing
upon Us to-day that that Of safeguard
I ing ourselves from these dangers"
seeretary Davis suggested that The
workman himself. in order 20 meet
periods Of depression, should be willing
70 accept employment at other trades
than he is ususlly engaged In. On the
point he said;
"The Lesson OF the last year seems
10 be not 20 much q problem Of an
actual dearth OF employment, but rather
ono Of inability Of the American work
men 90 adjust themselves 10 changing
circumstances. We recognize that the
exalted place OF our eraftsmen has
been attained through specialization, but
in specializing ve seem 70 have lest
sight Of the fact that there are other
/ lines Of employment than those
hsbitually followed.
Suggests Switching in Trades
Il would be the last one to suggest
that skilled craftsmen should under
take TO become so-called Jacks Of all
trades but l would urge upon every
idle workman that when there Is In
activity In his trade he use every ef-
fort 20 adapt himself TO some other
| line Of work.
"Manifsstly the skilled workman
can, II he viii, do work Of some ether
kind, but my experience has been that
too often when idleness 10 forced upon
him he rejects the thought Of other
employment for one or more Of sew
ersl reasons: He may not be able 10
secure as high wages in other en-
pigment; be may be under the i'm
preston that the secondary employ
ment will lose him prestige In his
primary occupation.
There are, Of course, so-called sea-
sonal occupations In which there Is
known intermitteney Of employment,
but In these occupations usually the
wages are higher, and the man who
/ follows such a one can fortify himself
against the season Of unemployment.
Points to Federal Bureau
''The United States Employment
I Service, as a national organisation,
keeps In touch with the general situa-
tion in every part Of the country. It's
! points Of contact, however, are neess-
sarily limited by the smsllness Of its
appropriations, and fer this same rea-
son there can be very little educational
work done along the line Of eneourag-
ing secondary employment.
~The National Employment Service
should be a clearing house and an
/ agency for the dissemination of not
only information. but Of constructive
suggestions along the lines which
have indicated
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