Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-22
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

in past years for farmers to work bard
through the crop season and then idle
the time away through the Winter, but
as diversified farming developed. es-
pecially with stock raising. the tend.
ency became greater toward spreading
out the work and stabilizing 1t through
the cold months, as we'll as Summer.
although much Is still to be desired in
that direction. toward finding Winter
work on the farms.
Testifying before S-'1ate commit
tee last Winter, Isador 'ibin of the In
stitute Of Economics declared that II
would be hard to f1nd an industry which
would show an even distribution Of en-
ployment and production throughout
the year. The making of clothing was
cited as an instance Of seasonal varia-
ton.
The problem of how to find an equal
iZer for such a condition is not easily
solved, yet 1t would seem that that is
a problem which calls for as careful
measures for sterilization as does the
plan of the fund for public construction
works, to equalize general unemploy.
ment. by giving public jobs to construc-
ton mechanics.
Sporting goods are bought in the
Spring. but every one knows that there
is going to come another Spring-next
April--so why should not the makers
of sporting goods be busy, IL months
In advance, preparing for that demand?
The same applies to clothing II styles
are dictators Of clothing manufactures,
must the world wait until it is actually
ready to don its pajamas or whatnot
before the shape and color and goods
shall be chosen?
That dilemma may be "a condition
and not a theory" but most conditions
are affected by theories before they
become conditions.
y y *
There Is one cause of unemployment
which cannot be prevented; it Is the
shifting Of manufacturers, from one
part of the country to another, or the
combining of enterprises, or the intro
duction. Of labor saving machinery. All
of these causes are usually temporary
in the hardships they cause, but the
loss Of employment. however transient,
must bring suffering to the wage Garner
With family dependent upon the
steady, though small, income of regu-
lar pay.
For example, between 1880 and 1890
hand composition of type aside from
display for advertising, etc. was almost
wholly superseded by machine conpo-
sitien; the old-tirne printers who had
spent years learning the case" found
their training almost useless they were
thrown out Of work, while learning q
new trade-machine composition.
After the first decade Of this century,
when automobiles really came into use
the makers OF horse-drawn vehicles lost
their occupation.
Rllt within q feu, vaorc S,o4,. 49, n.
placed printers and the jobless wagon
makers discovered that consumers were
buying even more of the new products
than they ever had of the old, so the
progressive mechanics shared the re-.
wards Of improved methods, with In.
creased wages and steadier employment.
In olden times, we used to hear an ex-
preston never heard today-"jour
printer" or "jour Understanding a
printer or halter who was In the habit
OF Journeying from one place to another
seeking job. He was almost on a par
with a tramp. Today, the intelligent
mechanic In almost any trade not In
volved In some transient revolution Of
method or machine introduction has
steady employment, at wages that would
have been counted fabulous fifty years
ago. President Green of the American
Federation Of Labor states that, In the
last year, half million more wage
earners have been added to the number
who enjoy the five-day week, at six-day
pay. He agrees with the Department Of
Labor that "the number Of unemployed
does not seem unusually large"
Nevertheless, II the studies of Presi-
dent Hoover and Congress, aided by the
expert economists. result in setting up a
reliable balance-wheel to maintain
smooth running In spite of the fiuctua-
lions of prosperity and depression. shall
wages. plus part leisure time. increase
demands for the comforts Of life and
50 stimulate trade and enhance general
prosperity.