Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-11
SOLUTION SOUGHT
FOR WAGE PROBLEM
Campaign Begins to Bridge
Gap Between High and
Low Pay Rates.

Efforts are being made to bridge the
growing gap between the diminishing
number of workers who receive high
wages and the increasing number of
employees who receive low wages.
This and other phases of employ
ment are receiving serious considera-
ton by Government agencies, and the
study is reflected in the bills intro
duced In the Senate and the House,
respectively, by Senator Wagner, Demo-
crat, of New York and Representative
Gable, Republican, of Ohio.
Senator Wagner calls his measure the
Unemployment Sterilization Biz and
provides for board consisting OF cabi-
net members. who would plan in adj
vance all public projects, including
river and harbor work, public build
ings and highways, so that these prof.
ects may be Immediately started in Pc
RODS Of depression without waiting to
prepare plans.
Cooperation Plan Outlined.
Another bill by the New York Sena-
tor would provide for cooperation be-
tween the Federal Government and the
States In maintaining municipal public
employment offices. This work would
abolish the present United States EN-
ployment Service and would make an
enlarged operation in conjunction with
the States.
The third Wagner bill would expand
the statistical work of the Department
Of Labor so as to gather data from the
major industries as well as retail and
wholesale trade.
The three Wagner bills are aimed to
secure better information, to utilize the
construction programs as a means OF
stabilizing employment, and to provide
a clearing house of men and jobs so as
to eliminate the unemployment ana the
waste resulting from job hunting.
Representative Cables bill seeks to
allot among the States an appropria-
ton for the organization OF a national
EMPLOYMENT system, using the United
States Employment Service as base,
with a woman as assistant director gen.
eral, who would have supervision OF all
matters relating to the employment OF
women. In brief, the Gable bill would
co-ordinate existing public employment
ofices and would provide for the publ
cation of information relative to oppor-
tunities for employment. It would es-
tablish and maintain uniform stand
ards and procedure and would enoeaVor
to assist in the transportation OF work
ers to such places as might be deemed
necessary.
Senator Wagner's Proposal.
Senator Wagner has been agitating
the question of Unemployment data ior
three years. He says that the bills ne
has introduced have In principle been
approved by the foremost economists OF
the country and Senate investigating
committee has recommended the enact
ment of such legislation"
one of the chief difficulties with I'M
employment legislation In the past has
been the political aspect. When the
peak of prosperity was reached during
the Coolidge administration 1t was
noted that a large number OF people
were unemployed. Senator wagner
gave out an estimate which the Repub-
icans said was exaggerated. The Gov
eminent agencies. as a rule, which are
under the influence Of the party In
power have had difficulty on this phase
of the matter because at times their
reports have not jibed with the OPP
tinnistic statements Of their superlors;
Bv establishing agencies which could
operate independently Of any admins.
tration through a system OF constant
duplication of data 1t is believed tnat
the unemployment problem would re.
ceiye more serious attention. In fact, II
Is one of the large factors in the PROP
lem Of prosperity which the PRESIDENTS
committee Is expected to tackle.
II Is considered that many OF the
mergers in the industrial field wnlcn
lead to unemployment could, II eclen-