Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-12

difficult of all professions. For success
it demands the ability to coordinate
the most intricate and scientific instru
mentS of destruction, and apply them
in batlle under the most adverse
psychological conditions: conditions so
difficult and terrifying that in the I'M
trained and undiSciplined, all reasoned
action would often cease.
1t is the mission of the Navy to be
ready for battle-to be always ready
ready with the weapons that are the
best now, today-not the weapons that
may be the best eventually 10 or 90
or so years hence. The Navy can take
no chance with the security of our
country. Study, training. experimental
ton. target practice, actual operation of
every element of the fleet in war ma
neuvers, constant study and thought in
analyzing results to assure that we are
keeping abreast of the times In actuali-
ties and ahead of the times i'll vision
always an open mind in search of the
best, but holding fast to the best known
till displaced by proven superiority
that is the Navy of today and the Navy
we shall keep in the future. A Navy
whose efficiency will not only provide
for the common defense. but by insur-
ing peace, will do most also to promote
the general welfare and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our
poSterity.
Secretary Davis opened his address
by referring to the various activities of
the department, which he said deal
with human beings" His address, in
full, follows:
am to tell you tonight about the
Labor Department and its work in
handling the immigration, Naturaliza-
ton, Statistical, Women's and Children's
Bureaus, the Housing Corporation, the
employment service and the Cancellation
service for the adjustment of industrial
disputes. I am to have only Is minutes,
but will do my best to tell you little
about immigration, employment and
Cancellation.
ment deal with human beings. It Is
Government. We are now especially
busy. This is the time of the year
when annual wage agreements between
employers and workers terminate and
new ones are negotiated. The building
trades especially have kept us occupied
recently. During the past 80 days we
have had more than a hundred trade
disputes. but We have been fortunate
in keeping most of them from stopping
work during the adjustment period
Yesterday a tWo-year agreement be-
tween the bakers of Washington and
their employers was closed, SO that my
washington friends and those who con-
template visiting the city can be assured
of their regular bread and butter for
the next two years.
Employment Backbone Of Prosperity.
After all, the great issue in the lives
of most of our people is this matter Of
employment. Employment is the back
80 al<.RyrN OxAf
brings human misery and loss of bust
ness.
At the present time unemployment is
not such as to give us the worry it did
q year ago. Eight years ago nearly six
million of our people were on the pay
rolls, and since that time there has been
much discussion of unemployment and
how to prevent it. We had little lull
in employment last year, but 1t is now
passing away and employment Is on
the increase.
A number of plans for the purpose
Of curing unemployment have been put
forward and our people need to know
more about them.
First, it has been suggested that
public buildings and works should be
restricted during good times and held in
reserve for seasons when Unemployment
is with us. This plan has the best OF
motives behind it, but 1t will not fully
solve the problem.
When times are good, activity In pub
lie works and buildings helps to make
them good To hold up public works
for bad times would help to bring on
bad times. Statistics prove this. We
spend every year seven billion dollars
on buildings of every sort. Nearly a
billion and half of this goes into pub
lie works, including military and naval
building. To hold that amount of
building for bad times would only bring
on the emergency 1t was meant to
remedy. I think we have got to APP
proach unemployment from another
angle.
Still another plan would not hold up
public works, but rather expand them
during times of unemployment. 1t is
suggested that $3.50, 100000 be set aside
as an annual appropriation for speed
ing up public enterprises Of four differ
ent kinds. This sum of $3.50, 400, 900 Is
designed as a prosperity reserve, to be
thus divided: $75,000,000 for the con-
struction of rural post roads, $50, 600, 900
for maintaining existing river and har-
Dor works, $40 400 900 for flood control
and 10000 for public buildings.
The money being appropriated, the