Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-18
of the Federal Government, in 1920 and

of the Federal Government, in 1920 and
| 1921. He said:
when We assumed direction of the
Government in 1921 there were five to
six million unemployed upon our streets.
Wages and salaries were falling and
hours of labor increasing. Anxiety for
daily bread haunted nearly one-quarter
of our 100000 families. The Repub-
lican administration at once undertook
to find relief from this situation"
The relief was found, Mr.. Hoover
said, although it was not through the
| dole or charity or imitation He men,
| toned the fact that he himself had
been chairman of the nationwide con-
ference on unemployment which had
been called and that program for sys-
! tematic organization of the whole bust
ness community had been set up to re-.
store employment, including the insti-'
tuition of public works and the extern
sion of financial aid to industry during
the critical period of readjustment.
Within year." he continued. 1--WE
restored these 100000 workers to en-
ployment. But we did more We pro-
duced fundamental program which
made this restored employment secure
on the foundations Of prosperity. AS
result wages and standards of living
have during the past six and half
years risen to steadily higher levels.
This recovery and this stability are no
accident. 1t has not been achieved by
luck. Were it not for sound govern
mental policies and wise leadership, en-
ployment conditions in America today
would be similar to those existing in
many other parts of the world"
Two Need Assistance.
Mr.. Hoover admitted there are two
industries which need assistance to-
day-the textile industry and the btu
minous coal industry. He called atten-
ton to the duplication of these indus
| tries in the Southern States. whereas
formerly they existed mainly in the
j North and the Middle West They have
also been affected by changes in the
use of textiles on the one hand and by
the increase of electricity on the other,
! he said.
I'VE have a duty" he said. ito con-
tinue effort to their full recovery by
every assistance that the Government
can afford. This" he promised, will be
| carried forward diligently"
! Mr.. Hoover took occasion to reply to
| assertions that there is wide unemploy-
ment in this country today.
There was temporary dip of en-
I
| this we are now rapidly recovering. It's
causes were local and temporary. They
were the combined effect of the Missis-
| sippi flood, great shift in the motor
industry and the collapse of real estate
| speculation. An accurate survey by the
Department of Labor showed that even
including the usual Winter seasonal un-
employment about 100000 employees
| were out of work as contrasted with five
to six million in 1921 During the past
| two months there has been a higher
record of production and consumption
OF goods than during the corresponding
! months OF any previous year. There
could not be such record unless en-
pioyment was steadily recovering"
Labor Protected.
American labor" Mr.. Hoover said,
has been protected also by the IMPOSE
tlon OF restrictive immigration laws dur
ing Republican control This restric-
llon. ne said, was boon not only to
native-born Americans, but to those
who have come from the old countries,
Tor every one would suffer equally bv
the lowering of our wages and stand
ards of living" Even though he gave
attention to the needs of labor. Mr..
Hoover did not forget the farm prob
lem. saying:
"One of the large opportunities for
the further improvement of labor lies
in the further improvement of agricul-
tlre. Some of its most important
branches have Jagged behind industry
in its advance since the war. This is
not an occasion TO enter upon this
question. but by sympathetic policies
we should materially further increase
: the farmers buying power and thus
add to the security of employment in
the INDUSTRIES
Mr.. Hoover grows more accustomed
to public speaking and to addressing
big audiences as the campaign pro-
crosses. He handled himself with com
plete assurance last night. He would be
the last to lay claim to oratory. But
none who heard him would doubt his
sincerity. He was listened to with the
keenest interest, and he made a favor
able impression upon those to whom he
talked. He speaks practically with
, ont gesture. But he drives home his
arguments emphatically and clearly
He follows rather closely the writer
text Of his speeches, but he does no
hesitate to digress from the text if hi
; desires and wishes to make more point.
ed his arguments.