Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-01
Capital and Labor
Seeking Remedies
For Unemployment
Industrial Leaders Realize
That Small Pay Rolls
Mean Slack Business.
BY J. C. ROYLE.

Labor day finds employers and en-
ployes closer to each other than they
have been in years. They are being
drawn together by ties of common
danger, and nothing so tends to bring
about accord.
Industries and labor organizations
alike are searching for remedies for
unemployment Various plans to
stabilize employment have been sug-
gested by each, and some have been
finally adopted, according to Ethelbert
Stewart, commissioner Of labor STATISTICS
These efforts are not confined to this
country, although in most other notion,
May / is celebrated as Labor day in
stead of the first Monday in September.
In nearly all cases the situation now
confronting capital and labor has been
the subject of governmental attention.
At the recent session of Congress sew
eral employment bills were enacted into
law.
Unemployment Situation.
Many phases of the situation come
within the regulatory powers OF the
States and many of the latter have
given deep consideration to unomploy--
ment insurance and various relief
such insurance obligatory.
In the meantime capital and labor
are not waiting for Governmental action
but are taking steps to solve their cwn
difficulties. Industrial leaders have at
last come to realize that when they
release a number of workers from en-
ployment, their own businesses suffer
since men who cannot work cannot buy
and when they cannot buy the pro-
Queer cannot sell. No industry can
continue long to make goods that 1t
cannot sell.
AS a result of this attitude, number
of the railroad companies have adopted
a shorter work week for time so as
not to throw employees out or reduce
forces Many of these agreements are
for limited time and were made with
the expectation of return to regular
conditions when business improvement
warrants it. Conferences are now in
progress as to the course to be followed
| for the remainder of this year.
AS a measure of permanent Stabiliza-
ton of employment some of the rail-
road crafts have drawn up programs
which provide shorter weekly hours of
| work, fewer apprentices and l3ngth-
ening of apprenticeship, the gradual
elimination of helpers and vacations
| with pay.
Pension Plan.
The General Electric Co. has an
nounced a new unemployment pension
plan and the company is following Its
policy of continuing manufacture for
stock of many lines and special ap-
paratus in the hope of future sales. The
plan provides that when business is
increasing, working forces shall be in
creased as slowly as possible, workers
shall be transferred from slack to busy
departments and overtime work shall
be stimulated while plant renewal and
maintenance work shall be held up
Then when business is slack, fewer
employees would have to be dispensed
with.
The problem is fully as pressing in
Canada as in the United States and a
special session of the Canadian Parlia-
ment has besn called to consider relief
measures and labor sterilization.
Those considering the problem are
taking into consideration not only the
problems of the present depression but
those that may follow the introduction
of new and improved machinery which
requires fewer workers to operate.
(Copyright, 1900