Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1926-01-08

Employment conditions throughout
the country are at a low ebb, one
notices travelling about through the
country. There are reasons for this
besides the lack of work. The first
probably may be laid to the prevail
ence Of machine production. Modern
invention has in a very large measure
usurped hand labor. Machines are
now doing work which a few years
ago required the efforts Of many
hands.
As a consequence men are thrown
out of employment. The remedy for
this as has already been suggested in
the columns Of the Review is Shorter
hours and higher wages" Particu-
larly shorter hours.
There should be laws f~orbidding in
dustries from permitting machines to
usurp the work of the hand, but
state legislation and the national con-
gresS have not as yet come up TO this.
They are acting in a dilatory manner,
as usual fayoring the owners and
operators as against the industrial
classes. But the problem is becoming
so acute that the national government
must take some measure to procure
relief.
One reason why legislatures and
congress are not apt in taking care of
this situation is that the personnel
Of those bodies is not generally affect
ed by unemployment and the men,
bers do not know the burden of be-
ing out of work. The fact must grad
ually seep into their consciences
through some powerful pressure
brought to bear upon them from with
out. This pressure can be brought
only through those who are suffering
from a lack of employment. And
the only organization that is capable
of acting is the American Federation
of Labor. There should be some def
mite program of lobbying in state
legislatures and Congress with the
aim in view Of attaining this p%articu-
lar end, or codnitions are bound to
become more and more critical.
1t is probable that we have not yet
reached the peak of the unemploy-
ment situation in this country, yet II
seems that in many localities condi-
items could not become more acute.
Here in Champaign the conditions
are not so noticeable as in other
localities, particularly in industrial
regions, The neighboring city of Dan
vile is at its lowest slump in many
years, according to information re-
ceived from reliable sources. One
class in that city is not at all affect
ed by the slump. That class is the
controlling class, ana consequently
nothing is being done to relieve the
situation. There as in many places
prosperity has struck one class, and
lodged the other, and there is no
probability Of immediate relief.
Danville is building a mammoth
hotel. A mammoth e~xcavator is at
work doing the job which once re-
quired the hands of fifty men. APP
p~roXimately four trucks are hauling
away the diIt Is it is e~xcayated. Only
n man drives the truck and the ma
chine loads the dirt. A few years
ago such 40 process required the
hands of several workmen simply to
load each vehicle, as well as the hands
OF many men to ~eXeavate the dirt by
the shovel method.
What is happening at the scene of
this hotel? Dozens of idle men are
standing about waiting for the first
call of a foreman to a few hours work.
The streets are lined with men seeking
all manner of employment.
These men are not down and outs"
Many of them are good substantial
men of families. Some of them have
been compelled to appeal for charity.
One cannot pass along the streets for
a single block except in the more
aristocratic districts and not be ac-
costed by one or more men asking for
the price of a cup of coffee and a
sandwich, or the price of a bed. They
are not drunken buns, but good
sound men, seeking employment and
finding none. What is the solution of
this acute situation? In every in
dustrial locality the same conditions
prevail.
-O-