Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-09
LABOR OFFERS AID
ON UNEMPLOYMENT
Federation Would Back Hoo
YER on High Wages-Pro-
90 hibition Issue Up.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BOSTON, October 9.-The problem
of unemployment was before the Reso-
:xtions COMMITTEES sS the American
Federation OF labor annual convention
here today.
The report of the executive council
of the federation on unemployment
unittee. declared unemployment was the
outstanding economic fact OF the past
year"
The report also said that while pro-
duction undertakings were generally in
a sound condition, failure to make the
proper adjustment of credit forces and
to provide wage-earner and small salary
classes with incomes adequate to buy
the products of industries contributed
to what had been a long period OF
economic prosperity"
JobIess Issue Studied.
Delegates to the convention have been
practically unanimous in the conclu-
sion that efforts to solve the unemploy-
ment problem was one of the major
contributions their deliberations could
offer the Nation. The Resolutions
Committee, headed by Matthew Woll,
third vice president of the federation.
has received resolutions from individual
delegates. as we'll as the Executive Com
mittee's report, which dealt with the
subject
The tentative program offered by the
executive council as a partial remedy
for the situation suggested reduction in
the hours of work for employees, stabili-
cation of indsutry, efficient management
in production and in sales policies,
Nationwide system of employment ex-
changes. the compiling by the Govern
ment of adequate records, the use OF
public works to meet cyclical unemploy-
ment and special study OF tech
biological unemployment.
The three main causes responsible
for the most unemployment, labor heads
said, were seasonal dull periods IN in
dustry; business depression and In
creased efficiency, due to improved ma
chinery and methods.
Prohibition Pleas Made.
The Resolutions Committee also con-
sidered the question Of prohibition.
Resolutions asking for repeal of the
eighteenth amendment and the Vol
stead act were submitted by delegates.
Favorable action by the convention on
these resolutions would radically alter
the stand taken in years past for nodi-
f1cation to permit use Of beer Of AIS
per cent alcoholic content by weight.
A communication from group OF
prominent Massachusetts, women asking
the support of labor in the movement
to bring about repeal of the eighteenth
amendment was among pleas received
by the federation.
The communication, signed by Mrs.
r. Lothrop Anes and Mrs. r. w. Lovett,
was in the form of a resolution adopted
by the Massachusetts, branch of the
Women's Organization for National
Prohibition Reform. h
Repeal Is Urged. q
1t urged the cooperation Of organ
iZed labor in the movement to obtain
repeal of the eighteenth amendment
and the restoration to 48 sovereign
States power to regulate their own
liquor problems"
A resolution submitted to the conven-
ton by w. Thomas Polston Of the Chi
cago Federation of Labor said that the
award of Government contracts for the
'redecoration of the White House was
contrary to the high wage policy Of
President Hoover.
He asked that in all estimates let out
by the Government the bidder should
figure the wage of his employees on the
prevailing scale within the District
The United Textile Workers of Amer
lea, in a resolution passed yesterday,
had suggested the creation of a large
defense fund to be used in the further
ance of the Southern organizing cam
paign, and had requested endorsement
by the convention Of the strike of 1000
textile workers in Danviile, Va. They
also had urged the issuance Of an
appeal for financial aid to be sent to
all affiliated unions.