The Indianapolis times., 1930-06-21
ct Is Ridiculous"

1T Is ridiculous to speak of unemployment
necessary condition of human society. 1t is nothing
more than maladjustment of its machinery 1t is
blot on intelligence"
This is not a Socialist soap-boxng the evils of
the American industrial system which has produced
an army of unemployed ranging from three to six
millions today.
Those are the words of Owen D. Young head of
the General Electric and the Radio Corporation of
America two of the largest business concerns in the
world, and the economic expert twice chosen by the
world powers to arrange reparation settlements
Young used this strong language regarding unempoy-
ment in addressing the National Electric Light AS
socation convention in San Francisco last Thursday
The striking thing about Youngs idea of unem-
pIoymsnt is that he has discarded the futile and out
attitude which still is prated by too many busi-
and political leaders. Such nonsense as this
If man can't get job it is his own fault"
No honest man need go hungry.
The trouble with the unemployed is that they don't
want work"
Or stupid dogmas such these:
There always have been periods of large unem-
olayment and always will be-
4 You can't get away from the business cycle hard
times always will follow good times"
Young's answer is the correct one. 1t is matter
of intelligence, lack of intelligence Our economic
system is badly adjusted In the richest land in the
world, prosperity and high wage employment can be
stabilized, if business and political leaders
half the intelligence this problem that they have
used less important problems.
AS Young pointed out prosperity and employment
the United States has come to depend under mass
productions conditions, finding foreign markets for
our farm and factory surplus.
BY what chance has the country, when congress
causes reprisals and closes foreign markets?
Until we substitute policy of encouraging foreign
customers, instead of starting tariff wars, we can
not stabilize prosperity and employment. That is
not only the idea of Young, but of virtually every
reputable economist in the United States and of
increasing numbers of business men.
In addition to intelligent foreign trade policy
must have intelligent government aid to industry
through statistical services employment exchanges
and advance planning of federal construction
projects. That is only beginning. But the United
States house of representatives and the Hoover ad
miniStration have refused, the of congress
adjournment, to pass those measures.
Also there is need of unemployment and old
age pension insurance system The working day
should be shortened. Child labor should be elm
mated.
over and above what an intelligent government
could do it is the systematic handling of unemploy
ment by such progressive municipalities Cincinnati
Most important is what industry itself can do.
The mems clothing industry under the leadership
and cooperation Of the Amalgamated Clothing
Workers Union effectively stablizeS employment and
takes care of the labor surplus by its own joint
insurance protection While Young speaking
San Francisco the General Electric in Schenectady
was announcing stabilization and joint insurance
plan Other industries are doing the same.
This entire approach to the problem Is denial
q the vicious theory that society and capsa have
no responsibility to the worker except TO get as