Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05
.DOAK SAYS LABOR
CONDITIONS BETTER
Secretary, in Radio Forum
Talk, Tells of Indications
for Improvement.

Though there still Is great amount
Of unemployment in the United States,
conditions are growing better daily and
there Is definite indication Of better
times, it was stated by Secretary OF
Labor Doak, speaking last night in the
National Radio Forum arranged by
The Washington Star and broadcast
over Nationwide hook-up Of the Co
lumbia Broadcasting System.
at Is my sincere wish, both as q
member of the Presidents cabinet and
as a private citizen" Mr.. Doak said.
that all our people may be helped
by the knowledge that the unemploy-
ment situation can be relieved and by
the confidence that 1t VIII be-"
Those in the Department Of Labor
who are conducting the work of un-
employment relief, Mr.. Doak said, are
going at it with energy and enthu-
siasm. coupled with an understanding
that will enable us TO come somewhere
near finding a solution that viii be
far-reaching in effect"
Improvement in Month.
While there Is great unemployment
in the country today and great num-
bers of people are working short time.
Mr. Doak admitted. there is not as much
unemployment this month as there was
last month.
above all else" he declared, 81 would
impress this upon your consciousness
the situation is daily improving; many
men who have been idle are returning
to work, and labor conditions In this
beloved land Of ours are bound to get
better"
The same situation with regard to
unemployment faces every country In
the world today, the Secretary said,
and 1t should be matter Of pride TO
American citizens that this country is
"far in the lead in the taking Of heart
ening steps to combat unemployment
and thereby give greater safeguards to
the welfare of our workers"
President Hoover is given credit by
the Labor Department head for soften
ing the effects of the worldwide de-
preston so far as the United States
is concerned. The situation in this
country might have been far more
serious than it is today, Mr.. Doak said.
had 1t not been for 1.-The farsighted
action of the President in calling into
conference at the White House in the
Fall of 1929 leaders of transportation.
business. finance and labor, among
whom 1t was agreed at that time that
all would cooperate in maintaining
wage rates and keeeping employed
every possible WOTkeI.
DepIOred Controversy.
Secretary Doak also praised the adj
ministration public buildings program
in the National Capital and through
out the country. declaring that the
wisdom of this movement as a means
of alternating the unemployment situa-
ton has been happily Justified"
Mr.. Doak dwelt at some length on
the difficulties which have been en-
countered in the carrying out of the
relief program because of conflicting
interests of the Federal Government
and the 20 State governments. He
deplored the controversy aroused over
the Wagner bill, providing for State
aid in handling employment relief,
which was passed by the House and
Senate but vetoed by the President.
During the past year. through the
work of the United States Employment
Service, 100000 farm laborers have
found employment. largely through
dreds of service veterans have been
placed In profitable work. Mr. Doak
said. This has been possible because
the present service Is founded upon the
idea of coordination with State and
local employment agencies and espe-
eially for purposes Of aid In interstate
placements of the unemployed, he con-
tinued. This primary Federal function,
he said, would have been destroyed by
the Wagner bill, which Lacked that
flexibility essential for effective opera
ton"
(The full text OF Mr.. Doak's address
is printed in the editorial section Of
today's Starr