Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-25

has been prepared, including everything from
sodding down the lawn to painting the roof.
This effort Is designed to combat the rather
widespread disposition to put or all but abSo-
lutely imperative repairs because Of the depres-
sion"
The Clifford idea is that during depression
is the ideal time for improving property. Lit
erature circulated by his organization has
pointed out the decline Of commodity and ma
terial prices, permitting substantial savings In
repair costs, and the abundance Of skilled and
unskilled labor readily available everywhere.
The general idea is that property owner
can save money by having improvements made
now and at the same time aid his less
fortunate fellows and help the Nation back to
normal economic conditions. >
For the benefit Of those who are deferred
from this ideal combination Of philanthropy
and Self-interest through fear that they them
selves may be thrown out OF work, efforts are
being made to induce large industrial organiza-
tons to give assurances Of continued work to
as many employees as possible.
This is the guaranteed employment" idea,
designed to encourage those who have money
or jobs to spend normally instead Of boarding
for an anticipated rainy day. :,
Mr.. Clifford made favorable impression
when he took over his new ofice because of
the manner in which he survived q rather
severe hazing at the hands Of the washington
newspaper correspondents.
A HUNDRED newspaper men went to his FIRST
press conference, and it is q conservative
estimate to say that more than half of them
carried hgurative chips on their shoulders. For
two years and more they had been fed on a
diet of statements about how the unemployment
situation was going to be solved by "co-ordina-
ton of effort" by Coordination of endeavor,"
by mobilization CT social forces" and so on.
II had a fbcr act in
ton newspaper circles to say that the unem-
ployed need not starve long as they were
willing to eat coordination and drink CO.
operation since the supply Of each seemed
inexhaustible.
Most Of the correspondents who attended Mr..
Gifford'S first conference expected some more
cooperation and coordination, but Mr. Gift
ford did not speak that language. He simply
announced that he realized the unemployment
problem was very grave and that his first idea
was to see how much money could be raised to
prevent suffering. After that would be time
enough to go into the interesting and probably
important academic questions relating to what
caused the depression and how future potential
depressions could be headed OFF.
In the face Of machine-gun volley of ques-
tions loaded with political dynamite he remained
calm and smilingly refused to be led into cons
troversial academic bypaths. His job for the
moment, he said. was to see how he could help
to raise money to feed the hungry and clothe
the naked and shelter the shelterless, and he
did not propose to be diverted So far he has
not been diverted.
Ar. CLIFFORD refuses to encourage any idea
w that some modern economic messiah il
going to arise and solve the depression and
unemployment problems overnight.
In this depression he says, some folks
Intelligence, but little faith, have been calling
for immediate remedies, for strong leaders to
make everything all right ct once for every
Continued ON Ton in pcno