Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-08

over 100 per cent, as compared with
the same period last year
During the first three months of 1890
the highway departments of the vari-
GUS States let contracts amounting to
l24 per cent more than they let in the
first three months of 1929.
The States also let contracts for
State institutions in excess of contracts
let for the first six months of 1929.
The figure for hospitals and similar ma
tional. State and local institutions was
62.7 per cent greater for the first half
of 1890 than for the same period In
1929.
The contracts let for educational in
situations for the first six months of
1880 surpassed those let during the first
half of 1929 and exceed the Six-month
average for the years 1925 to 1929.
Another evidence of these increases
is shown in the case of fire and police
stations. Building contracts of this type
for the first six months of this year
were more than 100 per cent greater In
value than for the same period last
year.
All these great exertions, and this
flood of moneys, have been put forth
for the great immediate purpose of
providing and spreading employment.
That it is great practical effort, of
magnitude never attempted before. no
one can dispute. There have been
critics, who complained that nothing of
any practical value was being done to
relieve unemployment. This is the
smashing answer.
Other Efforts for Relief.
Bear in mind, too, that these great
building and construction projects,
amply financed with ready cash, are
not the full measure of the effort to
relieve unemployment. All these many
building projects call for skilled work.
men in every~building craft, and for
some hundreds of thousands of these
workers. But no building project can
be started without stimulating other
industries. Employment is strengthened
in cement factories, in stone quarries,
in coal mines, in steel mills Wherever
these stimulated industries are located,
the workers are able to buy more at
the stores-clothing food, household
goods, and all the other commodities
needed by the millions who live by the
American standard. This buying helps
to stimulate the industries supplying
these commodities. The railroads and
their employees have more tranSporta-
ton to take care Of In this way
great building program throws out In
ChCIy OuCSlgOll a CdII6Ct blldJ
brings new life to tagging commerce
and employment.
Last Autumn a great financial catas-
trophe broke the spirit of the American
people. There is no obscuring the fact.
But it is time to pluck up again, and
again I can point you to the agencies
that have been at work in this way in
the most practical and effective way.
The financial crash had hardly oc-
II - =
States sent letter, on November 10,
1929, to the heads of the various Fed
eral departments urging them to speed
up construction.
On the next day, November 10, the
President called conference of railway
executives to meet him and discuss this
same subject of construction expansion.
On November 81 the President sum-
moned to himself a conference of lead
ing business executives. He called to-
gether also a conference of labor lead
ers. Next he had the leaders in build
ing construction give him their plans.
At these conferences leaders in bust
ness and labor organizations agreed that
wages should be maintained at the
same levels and that no demands should
be made for changes during the emer-
gency. So, for the first time in the
history of American business cycles,
none of the sweeping wage cuts of the
past have occurred
1t was in November of last year that
President Hoover asked the governors of
the several States to speed up building
and construction. and so 1t was at his
instigation that the vast building pro-
gram I have just outlined was put
under way.
If it had not been for these vigorous
steps to block the downfall things would
have gone to the very bottom If we
think the present situation unsatisfac-
tory, what would have happened then
would have been far worse. And re-
covery would be indeed far of.
In December of last year the Presi-