Evening journal., 1922-07-13

tion Is a disgrace to the united
States. Such malignant union lead
ership is backed. supported, pro-
NOTED and condoned by weak-kneed
| politicians, some of them in high
| places, all of them watching the
prospective developments of Novenn-
Der and concerned only with their
Individual preferment. 1t is high
time that men who are really states
men, who are honest and who are
actually in the majority in Congress-
and public life be allowed a free
hand to enact proper laws, and. to
punish those who fail to enforce the
law because of political considera-
tions.
Public Opinion and Strikes-We
are told that the country must rely
on public opinion to stop strikes.
Public opinion has a great deal TO
do with conditions at times, but un-
fortunately it is for the most part
lethargic and inert. While public
opinion is definite in its antagonism
to blocs, to unionlsm, to political
time serping, it is not vocal nor ac-
tive. It is the duty of our govern
mental officials to recognize public
opinion and to follow its dictates
even though these dictates are not
thrust forth sdax--Bv day. Public
opinion is rarely effective unless II
is so strong that politicians cannot
afford to ignore it. The time is COM
ing when they will not have to
wait for the effectiveness for election
days and primary days. What we
need is set of men in public life
who understand and recognize pub
lie opinion, who will not play poll
tics, but who will enforce laws effec-
lively and thoroughly. The time has
passed for waving the flag and voci-
ferously declaln1ing about our ma
tional greatness. We need a clean
up and we should begin with the
small percentage of dishonest poll
ticians.
Wastes Through Unemployment-l
Discussing cycles in business recent |
~, Secretary Hoover commented on |
the tremendous wastes through un-
employment which are due to the !
fluctuations of business cycles. The
secrtary said:
I'VE are constantly reminded by |
some of the economists and business ]
men that this is inevitable; that I
there is an ebb an dfow in the de-
mand for commodities and services |
that cannot from the nature Of |
things be regulated. I have great |
doubts whether there is a real foun- |
datlon for this view. Thirty years ago |
our business community considered |
that a cyclical financial panic was
inevitable. We know now that we
have cured it through a Federal Re
serve Banking system. We know
also that many of our industries are
themselves finding methods for in
suring more continuous operation of
their plants during these GIBBS and
flows of demand. At the present
moment a committee of important
men and economists, with
the cooperation of the Department
OF Commerce, are engaged in a sys-
tematic study of this problem. An
analysis of the business cycle quick
" brings one to the separation of our
production Of consumable goods
from the construction of our plant
and equipment that is our houses,
our public utilities, our public i'm
our public works. The
ebb and flow of demand for con
goods probably in the main
may be uncomfortable. There IS
more hope that we could direct Ger
tain branches Of our construction
and equipment, such as public
works, the greater utilities, in such
a fashion that we could provide
the finances and then delay con-
structlon until periods of depression,
and thereby shift our labor from
goods to plant and
in these periods. 1t would I
clip the top from booms and the de-
preston from slumps.
1T has been calculated that we
could secure a delay of such equip
nent to the amount of one-tenth
Turing the period of normal business
n the great utilities and construc- {
ion works under the control Of the
ipvernment; that it would almost
plane out the depression in employ I
nent. I am confident that there is !
4 solution somewhere, and It's work
,ut will be one of the greatest .
blessings yet given to our economic
,vstem-both- to the employer and Z
he employees. And there IS nothing
hat would contribute so much 10 :
he contentment and the advance '
nent of our people as greater assur-