The Washington herald., 1922-03-07
Labor Depression Waning.

1T WAS fitting that yesterday, when the breath
of seemingly authentic though perhaps pre-
mature spring touched the whole nation the
most encouraging report OF an employment boom
should issue from officials who took part in the
Presidents conference in behalf of the jobess last
October.
The facts brought out in interviews with Col.
Arthur Woods, chairman of the standing commit
tee on emergency measures and Edwin Eyre Hunt,
secretary Of the conference, exemplify the broad
scope of their analyses of distressing situation.
They and have been concerned not only with
remedial measures for the present but with plans
for future which they believe is to the
continuance of the phenomenon of recurrent periods
of labor depression.
The best news to the public, of course, is con-
tanned in Col Woods declaration that "the past
three weeks have brought visible evidence of re-
covery" and that individual cities throughout the
country have shown marked improvement" But
this is time to relax, the officer warns.
The distress growing out of unemployment is
not going to decrease in anything like the pro-
portion unemployment" he continues. In other
words, the who finds a job after weeks or
months of searching in bitter weather is going to
find difficulty in recovering what they call in the
army "the old morale He is going to be paying
debts contracted during enforced dleness, perhaps;
perhaps heavy doctors bills. He should feel good
deal better about it. however, when cold and job
lessness have been put few weeks behind him.
One outstanding feature in the labors of these
men and their associates has been their humanness
in handling a most difficult situation regards that
same morale. 1t is emphasized that the emergency
work through the winter has gone back Of actual
relief activities by trying to prevent jobless men
and their families from becoming public charges
and by operating "a neghborly, friendly, indus
trial basis leaving each city to work out its local
problems with the assistance and cooperation of
the government Sweet charity has not been the
watchword, but sound economic psychology Col.
Woods enters a brief for the men who have been
accused Of showing "choosiness" when purely man
ual labor offered itself. The unemployed have been
willing to set their hand to anything to tide over
he msintains, in can ntolerable situation whereby
free-born men, through fault of their own, were
deprivld of their means of livelihood"
Specialization in industry" he reminds "has
increased distress, no doubt but one can hardly
blame man for perfecting himself in certain line
of work and trying to hold out when that line is
cut off"
Col Brown and his confrere foresee another
time of depression in from to ten years, and
announce that the business cycle committee created
by the conference, of which Mr.. Hunt is secretary,
will have a report ready for release in early fall.
Just what that report Will contain IN the way OF
recommendations it is. too early to hazard The
thought arises that the economic conditions nor
mally causing unemployment, ("normally' being
stressed because the profundity of the latest let
down is largely attributable to war in no way
more remarkable than in its sudden cessstion) may
be analogous to those causing financial panies The
Federal Reserve system pretty we'll guarantees the
nation against another such debace that of 1907
II achieves this through providing elastic
to be stretched over a weak place in the banking
fabric and through safeguarding against the disas-
trous boarding of gold which formerly sought cover
at the first break Of trouble. What about the con-
ception Of series of great public works. earnestly
advocated by many economists in and out of the
government to be prosecuted for the mutual benefit
of the nation at large and the jobless man? In
boom times these projects could proceed it were,
at half steam; when depression threatened the art-
san and laborer, they could go ahead under forced
draft Apparently this would tend to establish, if
one may adapt phrase "benehcent circle" each
unit of development completed providing further
facilities for utilizing Americas mighty resources
and consequently work for eager hands and
brains.