Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-24

Sound leadership by President William
Green is recognized by the country in
its comments on the action Of the
American Federation of Labor, at its
Vancouver Convention, in voting against
proposals for Endorsement Of unemploy-
ment insurance. 1t is held generally
that the interests of organized labor
particularly freedom of action, are
served in taking this position.
Labor and capital agree. thus far"
according to the Dayton Daily News,
that unemployment insurance should
be a matter for private arrangement.
Only in case business fails to do the
private job will labor be pressing for
unemployment remedies through polit-
ical agencies" The Scranton Times
points out that "there is a vast differ
ence between the dole as a permanent
institution and the Government provid-
ing millions or billions to tide the
country over the present situation" and
that President Green, in opposing the
dole proposal, made that fact plain, and
declared that he would appear before
Congress as soon as it convened, and
demand relief without delay"
An explanation offered by the Chicago
Daily News Is that 'the federation sees
in the dole a menace to the integrity
of the labor movement" and that paper
observes that Others, not concerned
with the federation's point Of view. see
in 1t an uneconomic and anti-social
program, a system of inviting greater
perils than it is designed to avert"
The Daily News continues: ingenious
ways of beating its regulations have
made it a means for prolonging idleness.
1t is developing class with hobo
mentality. it operates to prevent such
establishments of wages as sound
economic reasoning demands, and 1t Is
heaping an intolerable burden of taxa
ton on crippled industrial system.
There is reason for satisfaction that in
this country, however the avenues Of
approach to the problem may differ,
organized labor and the common sense
of the citizens generally agree that the
dole is to be avoided. The nine-point
relief program adopted by the fedora
tons convention is, in the main, well
within reasonable lines. Some of its
recommendations may appear i'm
practicable, but none is radical and
not a few have been approved by
recognized leaders Of social and
economic thought
"The federation advanced itself in
public esteem and confidence by its
conservative attitude" in the opinion
of the Harrisburg Telegraph, and the
Milwaukee Sentinel concludes: 1T is
too easy to strain an unemployment
when the Government stands ready to
pay. The Government guaranty en-
courages industry to pass its respon-
sibility on to the state" The Hamilton
Evening Journal agrees that altogether,
the pronouncementS of the federation
were of a high order Of craftsmanship,
and put organized labor in an I'M
assailable position"
Observing that the convention upheld
It's Resolutions Committee, the Newark
Evening News declares: can admins
tration victory in a closely fought con-
test, the outcome demonstrates that
conservatism along the lines OF policy
laid down by the late Samuel GomperS
still rules not only its directing councils,
but the rank and file. . It is appar-
ent that the year which has passed
since the question was last considered
has seen a switching of position by
some organization leaders, and that the
passage of another year without i'm
provement in employment may revise
il not reverse the verdict given. But
the majority Of these spokesman for
the more than 100000 affiliated
workers now hold that conditions have
not yet reached a point at which ex-
pedfency should replace the founda-
lions upon which the federation was
built"
"The federation's decision to oppose
the dole is in line with its own best
traditions" thinks the Rockford Regis
ter-Republic, while the South Bend
Tribune points out that 'the dole is
socialistic system which tends to put
all workers on the same level" and the
Green Bay Press-Gazette states that
labor in this country wants America,
its roots are deep in American soil and