Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-25
.DOAK IS CONFIDENT
. CRISIS WILL PASS
Declares Capital, Labor and
Industry Capable of Meet
ing Situation.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

| Special Dispatch to The Star.
WEST WARWICK. r. T., September
25.-Avoiding any direct thrust ct wage
cutting on the part of the United
States Steel and other corporations,
Secretary of Labor Doak said here to-
day he was convinced that capital, Ia
Dor and industry are fully capable of
adjusting any problem that may arise
''in our economic life, If they will only
approach the task In the proper spirit
and at the proper time"
"The present unsettled situation
affords no exception" he added
The cabinet official was the principal
speaker at a celebration held in con-
nection with the Pawtucket Valley Fair,
coming here from Washington, where
William Green, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, last night
estimated from Nationwide reports re-
ceived by his organization that 5,600,000
persons were unemployed at the pres
ent time.
Not Confined to u. S.
Commenting indirectly on this esti-
mate. Secretary Doak said such bust
ness troubles and unemployment as
exist are not confined entirely to this
country.
Something seems to be wrong just at
present with the whole universe" he
asserted, but the machinery Of the
universe like the machinery OF the fac
tory can be set to rights, and wit.
energy, determination and vision it vii
be set to rights"
Pleading that this is no time for de-
spondency, because respondent spirit
makes for further depression" Doak
urged that a united effort be made
to push onward to an objective of re-
turned prosperity.
1--WE have in this country all the re-
sources which make for prosperity"
he said, Circumstances seem to have
which have plenty feel the stress of
poverty. It is hard to explain just
how such things happen, but they do
happen, and when they do happen it
is the duty of authorities to provide
against the pinch of them I believe
that all American officials from the
President down are doing their full
duty in the situation as it exists
Hits PaternaIistic Plan.
The Secretary criticized indirectly the
Swope plan, which calls for the Stabili-
cation of all branches of American in
6ustry under Federal Government SUI
perviSion. While not specifically mem
tioning the plan by name, he said all
schemes looking to governmental pa
ternalistic engagements or the launch
ing out into the general field on the
part of systems of government Is not a
step in the direction of stability.
ut ultimately means retrogression,"
he asserted, las government is eStab-
lished for the maintenance Of peace
and guidance of internal and inter-
national tranquility, and not for the
purpose of dictation or domination. Its
functions are the reverse of the inter-
pretations so often placed In many
quarters at the present.
IF the Government is expected TO
take care of every individual, beyond
that of seeing that his private and pub
lie rights of equality and justice are
preserved, then it must inevitably fol-
low that his private initiative and in
centive are subservient to that same
power. Therefore, it seems to me that
the logical and practical thing for all
of us to do is to recognize in depression,
as in prosperity, that our Government
is established upon the broad policy of
affording opportunity in the pursuit OF
individual ways of happiness and sta
bility.
at is a poor rule that works only one
way. In other worcs, If 1t is entirely
proper and just that the Government
keep hands of of business in periods of
prosperity, it should likewise keep out
Of business during periods of depression.
Any paternalistic policy inauguated by
the Government must carry with it the
obligation to 60 forward at all times.
It seems to me that it could not diff
ferentiate in its efforts of a charitable
character to meet the ebb and flow Of
eras of prosperity or depression.
Examples Found Abroad.
I'VE, IL seems, should in a degree be
governed not only by our own expert
ence, but should take heed of the ex-
periences of other nations in the world
to the extent of giving careful thought
to their successes and failures along
certain lines. The present economic
depression, involving as it does the en-
tire civilized world, and the United
States in the least degree Of all, has
afforded some outstanding examples in
other countries besides the United I
States For instance. number of
schemes for the payment of unemploy-
ment benefits, or doles, have been un-
dertaken in some of the European coun-
tries. In each instance where the CEN
trail government has resorted to plans
Of this kind it has been met with seri-
Gus obstacles.
Then, too, our industries are pro-
tected by reasonable tariff, thus plac-
ing them in better position than would
be the case If some of the theories or
cure-all suggestions which have been
proposed as a solution of the present
difficulties were adopted.