Evening star., 1931-04-26
WAGNER Jobs BILL
I. TO Be PUT UP AGAIN
Author Replies to Presidents
Veto in Speech Over Ma
tionaI Radio Forum.


failed every man and woman who is out
pounding the pavements in search OF
work." Senator Robert F. Wagner,
Democrat, New York, announced last
night in the National Radio Forum, ar
ranged by The Washington Star and
broadcast over the Columbia Systems
Nationwide hook-up, he would REIN
troduce his unemployment service bill,
which was vetoed by President Hoover
last March. The address was broadcast
locally over Station WMAL.
The National Radio Forum was used
by Senator Wagner to reply to both
President Hoover's message yetoing the
measure and to Secretary of Labor
Doak, who three weeks ago last night
discussed in the forum the reasons for
the veto in an effort, according to Mr..
Wagner, ito mollify public resentment
of the Presidents act"
Pointing out that the bill has the
support of William Green, president of
the American Federation Of Labor; Mr.
Whitney, president of the Railroad
Trainmen; Sidney Hillman, resident of
the American Association of Clothing
Workers; the American Association for
Labor Legislation, business men, church.
men, bankers and economists through
out the Nation, Senator Wagner as
serted that there is mot an authority
on the subject upon whom Mr.. Hoover
can lean to sustain his veto"
Charges DOak Shifted Stand.
The New Yorker also asserted that
Mr.. Doak, as representative of the
Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen,
privately and publicly advocated the
passage Of the unemployment service
bill and that he had appeared before
a Senate committee which held hear
ings on the measure and never uttered
q word of diSappToval"
His opposition began" Senator
Wagner charged, "only after he became
member Of Mr.. Hoover's cabinet"
In explaining his plans for reintro-
ducing the bill next December, the
speaker said: II shall do so because
am convinced that this country cannot
discharge its full responsibility to the
employers and employees of the United
States without making provision for an
adequate Nationwide employment serv-
ice which will quickly, efficiently and
fairly bring men and jobs together. 1t
will take the full force of an intelligent,
active public opinion to pass the bill
over the Presidents opposition"
Passage Over Veto Seen.
AS to the presidential opposition Mr..
Wagner said: Il am certain of this,
the achievement of the purpose en-
braced in the unemployment service
bill. We shall yet have an employment
service of which the United States will
be proud, If not with the Presidents
approval, then without it,"
Senator Wagner charged that ''the
cruel routine of knocking at one fac
tory gate after another in search OF
work is a barbarism that can be well
dispensed with"
Continuing, he said: "The least that
the Government can do for the man or
woman who is unemployed and willing
and able to work is to render them
every possible assistance in finding a
job 1t Is today universally recognized
that to create channel for the free
flow of labor from the place of plenty
to the place of need is proper function
of government"
Cooperative Plan Used.
In explaining how the Government
should discharge that function, Mr..
Wagner said: THE bill introduced was
based on the central idea that the State
governments and the Federal Govern
nent should perform this necessary
work comparatively, for the simple rea-
son that iob-flnding is both local and
interstate problem, BY adopt
ing such a plan for the employment
service we make certain that the en-
ployment exchanges will be operated by
local initiative under local manage
ment and local responsibility in accord
ence with local needs and desires, and
nf effective cooperation between the
States through the agency of the Fed
erai Government"
Replying TO President Hoover's state
.nent in his veto message in which he
Ettached much emphasis to the fact that
the bill would abolish the employment
GeINice now existing in the Department
OF Labor, Mr.. Wagner asserted that Mr..
Hoover would have the public believe
that instead of creating an employment
service the purpose OF my bill was to de-
stroy one"
Obviously" he continued, that is
not the fact. The existing service is
abolished and simultaneously there is
erected in its place new service, bigger,
better and more amply financed with
greater powers and wider opportunities
to serve the employers and employees OF
the Nation"
Corrects President.
Senator Wagner explained that he
was reluctant to correct a statement of
fact made by Mr.. Hoover, but Il must
insist that when the Pres
ident announced that the existing Fed
eral employment service Is today finding
places of employment for men and
women at the rate of 100000 per an
num- he was confusing the facts.
1T is the State and local agencies,
and not the Federal Government, that
nave found these jobs. When he goes
further and gives the impression that
my bill would suspend the operation of
the agencies that found these 100000
jobs. I feel it again my duty to make
public correction. The bill introduced
would not abolish the State agencies.
Quite the contrary; under my bill these
agencies would be strengthened by addi-
tional appropriations and fortified by
the assistance of larger and more ade-
quste, nonpolitical, Federal employment
service"
The full text Of Senator Wagner's ad-
dress Is published in the editorial sec
ton in today's Star
---- O------