Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-14

of the Government. Many people were
saying. Let things go to the bottom"
But the President wasn't built that way.
Yet even President Hoover could not
avert a certain pinch in employment
In TACT 1t had been coming on for some
time.
The employment index compiled by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed
the peak OF employment for the year
to nave been reached in September,
1929. In October there was a decrease
OF about l per cent in the number en-
ployed; in November there was de-
crease of 3.5 per cent; in December a
decrease Of approximately 3 per cent.
Then returns collected weekly by the
bureau showed that between December
18th and December 23rd there was a
further drop Of lis per cent, and for
the week ending December 30th still
further drop Of At per cent. When the
tide turned, and the week of January
9Th showed an increase in number on
the pay roll Of "a per cent, the follow
ing week an increase of 3.3 per cent,
and the week of January goth an in
crease of 0.5 per cent, while the week
OF January 9th showed a slight in
crease of 0.3 per cent.
We can thank President Hoover for
calling the conference of business men
and labor leaders. We can thank him
Tor getting employers and workers to
agree that there shall be no reduction
In wages during this time. It is sur
prising and gratifying to me to note the
number who have kept their promise
With the President. The fact that onIv
a very few violated their agreement
shows that We have great respect for
our Chief Executive. The first good ef-
feet was that there has been no gen
eral change in wages, because wages
constitute the buying power Of the Ma
ton. We have all learned that. AL
though with some employers 1t was
heresay when I began to advocate that
in 1921, when assumed once as sec
rotary of Labor.
Tariff Seen as Big Aid.
Representatives of labor are annear-
ing before Congress and are Writing
letters urging Congress to pass a tariff
Dill. II we can get tariff bill that
VIII protect American industry it will
relieve much of this UNEMPLOYMENT
We cannot expect the American BUSH
ness man TO make plans for future de-
velopment and proceed with them until
he knows definitely where he will be
IN the matter of protection when the
"a. IL Dlh 10 eventually passed. When
this bill Is passed the business man
will be wise If he will see to it that
after reasonable profit to himself, the
profit that remains goes into the paw
envelopes of the workers. After ali
the workers buy what they produce, and
II there is no buying power there viii
be no production.
1t is good thing that in our country
we have some one in nearly all our
families who works, even though many
are working only part time. 1t is es-
peclally fortunate at times like this
We have all sorts of suggestions for the
cure of unemployment, but the man
who Is looking for a job is concerned
only with finding one for himself. SEN
ator Couzens has said that men ought
to be employed on a salary for the
whole year and not be at the mercy
OF uncertain employment. He said that
in that case employers would soon see
to it that employment was steady.
Others offer an employment insur-
ance, shorter work days and fewer days
per week. What the people want is
employment. And this cannot be as
sured until industry has been stabilized
and until we stop trying to produce
all the goods We need in a year in the
first few months Of the year. We must