Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-01
Senator La Toilette Analyses Testimony
Given at Recent Unemployment Hearings

eral Intervention In the matter OF un-
employment insurance."
Not equally, but certainly partly.
The Federal Government, l think,
should encourage and stimulate the
growth toward what Is called unem-
ployment insurance. I prefer to call 1t
the accumulation of reserves Tor the
payment Of unemployment Dement'S.
$50 YOU do not fear the demoraliZing
effects of what Is called the dole?"
fact? Britain is the classic land OF
what is called the dole The claim is
made that unemployment insurance in
Britain induces large numbers OF peo-
pie to live continuously on the dole
without work Now let me give you
the statistical fact OF all the many
and many millions Of people enrolled
in the unemployment insurance FUNDS
of Britain there are only 3 per cent
who have ever been on the dole for
longer period than six months. That
one fact disposes by itself Of the fairy
tale that the so-called dole in Britain
has produced a nation Of slackers."
Just what would you have the Fed
eral Government do to encourage and
stimulate unemployment reserve funds?
y X X X
"I think serious consideration should
be given to a suggestion on that point
made by our witness, Mr.. Henry !. Har-
riman. the great New England Power
Co. organizer. He said that possibly
the Federal Government should grant
some concession in taxes to companies
which would voluntarily undertake TO
establish unemployment reserve funds
in their treasures Mr. Hartman was
for voluntary action by the companies,
but he simultaneously frankly declared
that such voluntary action would not
become general without some sort OF In
terest and effort by the Government OF
the Nation: I entirely agree with him
on that point"
which brings me. Senator. to the
final element in your program. You
have spoken of relief, Of public works
of unemployment benefits. You also
propose a national economic council
Mr. Hartman, on behalf Of the United
States Chamber Of Commerce. desires
such council, too, but he wishes it to
be under private auspices. You wish it
to be public body. Why?"
" * X
For a reason basic to the whole
proposition. The task of a national
economic council is to try to do some
sort of broad, accurate national planning
in reference to credit, in reference to
production. in reference to consump-
ton, in reference to our whole national
economic life. The first step in such a
task is the gathering of the statistical
facts. A private body cannot compel
the production of those facts. It can
not compel the opening Of the books of
finance and Of industry. A public body
can. That one reason Is sufficient, in
my mind, all by itself, to prove that
the National Economic Council. which
now the bulk Of thinking opinion all
over the country demands, should be
established as public institution"
X x
Whereupon the Senator smiled his
amiable smile and departed to another
OF his amiable hearings. where he treats
reactionaries as politely and kindly as
II they were real patriotic progress
sives." But he suddenly turned back
to remark:
Don't forget that planning, national
planning with the help Of a national
economic council. is the main thing. IF
we could make such planning success
full We wouldn't need to talk so much
about Federal relief and Federal public
works and Federal announcement of
unemployment reserves. Those are ex
pedients to mitigate disaster. We ought
TO plan to try to prevent disaster"
Copyright. 1879