The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-09-26
THE PROBLEM OF
UNEMPLOYMENT

lAO u1OOl conspicuous anu III
tracing sight along the six thol
sand miles traversed on u r,
cent journey to and from the P;
cific coast was the marching arm
Of unemployed. We overlook an
met them everywhere. Though n
count was made, it is perfect,
within the bounds of reason to sa.
that we saw in every day Of trave
not less than hundreds of mel
on foot on the highways, ant
sometimes men and women.
Though they were travelling il
both directions, by far the greater
number were going west ant
south. The highways to California
were literally lined with men or
foot. The warmer climate with
abundance of accessible fruit along
the highways offered something in
the way of comfort, but as to jobs
there were none of which we could
hear.
In San Francisco and Seattle
shipping was reported to be as
low as ten per cent of normal.
The lumber mills were idle or
working part time throughout
Oregon and Washington.
While parked on a Seattle bust
ness street, a working man, MOTTO
ing our Minnesota license, came
up to inquire about conditions
back in Minnesota. He had been
in the west for several years, al
ways employed in the lumber
mills, but now out Of work. He
was not a down-and-outer, but a
steady worker. WAS there any
thing doing in Minnesota?" he
asked.
We were forced to tell him that
conditions in Minnesota were not
so bad as we had seen elsewhere,
but that there was also an un-
employed army in Minnesota and
no chance for work in that section.
He said that there were thou
sands of men on the coast who
would become subjects of public
charity this winter. They were out
of work and penniless.
The unemployed situation has
become chronic everywhere in the
United States. 1t is the most SER
ious problem confronting the ad-
ministration.
L hoas. rye .Ann11 tho dave Of |
Grover Cleveland and the panic,
as we called it then, of 1893-94
and 90. There was no let up until
1898, when the industrial storm
wore itself out and normal bust
ness conditions anne again. The
panic or industrial depression
brought the Peoples party into ex-
istence and the agitation for free
silver. With it came Coxey's army.
Grover Cleveland hung in efigy
in places in America.
And yet, of course, Grover Cleve-
land was no more responsible for
depression than is Herbert
Hoover for the depression Of 1880.
President Hoover did not bring t
about existing conditions, but he I
and his administration must deal c
with the situation and will be L
held responsible, just as Grover a
and the conservative
wing of the Democratic party v
we're held responsible in 1894. i,
President Cleveland and his e
,arty did nothing to remedy the v
ituation. S
The question now is-will Presi- d
.ent Hoover and his ~administra- c.
ion do anything Of consequence n
0 relieve the depression if 1902?
Back in 1894 millions of people {
elieved that initiation of the cur
eney would bring the needed re-
EFF. The currency was Debated
hen and it is debated now. Total
urrency in circulation now, as re- -
orted by the Federal Reserve n,
anks, is about one-third of what NJ
as in circulation during the war. a.
Interest rates are down, and call ~
loney on the New York Exchange ~
pes begging at less than Q per
with no borrowers. The sur r,
sign of business stagnation is ~
'wering Of the interest rate. Re- Of
,onsible people do not want to IN
PROV money because they can ~.
1T employ it profitably.
There is only n cure for our I'll
listing industrial ills. The cure ~
idleness is work. Work and ~,
ages will start the wheels of 90,
going. tir
If private business cannot en- al
oy idle men, then government
ust step in and furnish jobs. :.
1t is much sounder economics to
lploy public funds for the pur-
,se of making public improve
ents, and thus give employment ]
idle men, than it is to employ sey
bile funds to feed idle men and du,
cir dependents and still keep OPT
ese men in idleness. One thing moi
the other must be done. for
President Hoover did a wise |
ng in ordering a release Of pub the
funds allocated to road build tina
:. Over a hundred million dol hal
s was recently ordered advanced tho
m the national treasury to the {
ties, to be matched by a simil- ing
amount for road improvement. bur
Everywhere are highways need Ibis