Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-15
More Theorizing.

Inc AH1CttCAh Ac8tOl, AtNMb wv
tanned the enactment into law Of Q
soldiers bonus loan bill which takes .
billion dollars in one form or another
from the Federal Treasury at this time
Is now asking a "non-political" con-
ference to solve the causes Of economic
depression. The demand for such q
conference would have come with better
grace before the passage Of that law,
which was in effect = political sep to
the members Of the Legion. However,
the National Executive Committee of
the Legion. meeting in Indianapolis
has instructed the national commander
to petition President Hoover to call q
conference Of representatives of labor
capital, industry and finance to discuss
the causes of the present depression
and to outline plans, If possible, to avoid
such periods Of depression and unem-
ployment IN the future.
Whether such q conference could
accomplish any beneficial result Is q
question. Congress, supposedly a rep
fesentative body, struggled for months
with the problem presented by the
depression and one Of its achievements
in this crisis, under the guidance of
the Legion. was the bonus loan law,
with the Treasury facing a deficit as
1t was supposed then, Of &50o, oo0, 600.
Now 1t is feared that the deficit may
reach the billion dollar mark. Then
the "Progressives." Republican and
Democratic alike, held . two-day con-
ference in Washington and adopted
many resolutions and appointed number
Of committees to study and report to
future conference remedies for the
economic ills Of the country. Then
came the annual meeting Of the United
States Chamber Of Commerce, and
nnally and recently the meeting Of
the International Chamber Of Com
merce. They have all labored and have
brought forth little In the way of con-
crete plans. Theories there have been
I'm plenty.
The American Legion's proposal Of
q national unemployment commission
suggests that the financial and business
leaders failed 10 recognize the warning
signs OF approaching depression al
though those signs appeared fully .
year before the depression set In. With.
out entering q defense Of American
business men, the Legion may be re-
minded that hindsight is q compare
lively easy matter. Just what the
Legion proposes to do in the event that
these charges against the financial and
business leaders Of the country should
be sustained Is not clear.
1t Is the Job Of American financial
and business leaders today and also the
job Of all the workers in the country
to carry on in the face of the depres-
sion. determinations are likely TO lead
TO more trouble. As In all cases where
. condition, not q theory, Is presented,
the tailorS must cut the coat according
TO the cloth ct hand. The American
financial and business leaders must be
prepared TO take their losses as well rs
the laborer. Any attempt on the part
OF the leaders TO maintain earnings to
which they became accustomed in the
boom times at the expense Of labor Is
bound TO react seriously upon these
leaders and the entire system for which
they stand. No one with common sense
wishes standards Of living for any class
or group in the country TO be reduced,
except the standards set by some Of
the idle rich" And even they. through
their expenditures, provide work and
earnings for others. At the same time,
standards Of work should not be allowed
to fall off. 1t Is only by keeping their
feet on the ground and strict attention
to business. with regard for the needs
Of those who toll in factory and on
farm. that the American people can
come through the depression to more
prosperous times. Theor1zing Is likely
to get them nowhere.