Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01

termination into consideration. We
safely weathered the shock of those
hard times and moved forward into a
new prosperity and a new confidence
in ourselves.
At that time, it will be remembered.
far greater percentage of our workers
was idle than is the case now. Wages
years that very few of our farmers
and wage earners were prepared for
the hardships that came upon them.
Women had not appreciably entered
into industry, while voorhees, armies.
such as that of Gen. CoXey, moved
through the country calling emphatic
attention to our economic plight. Other
proofs of our depression visited them
selves upon us in rapid succession.
In comparing that period with the
present 1t is almost amazing when we
realize that then no nationally organ
lied system for recovery was institute d.,
nor could any great endeavor-public,
private or q combination of the two
be counted upon to bring the needed
relief. And yet within few years a
steady recovery began to assert itself.
Wages and prices advanceds over a Pc
Rod of years, and We entered upon an
era of general prosperity which was not
materially interrupted until we sought
to readjust ourselves from World War
conditions such as had never before
been known. Since then particularly
and without doubt our whole economic
structure has been more directly iden-
titled than ever before with that of the
world at large. And even so, it is patent
that we will outdistance the other coun-
tries of the world in the trend toward
an earlier economic recovery.
Need Reinfusion of Faith.
What we seem to need more than
anything just at this time is vigorous
reinfusion of our old-tirne faith and con-
fldence-the stimulants which brought
America onward and upward from the
time of our forefathers' first concept of
liberty and the establishment of this
great and prosperous Nation. One of
our most eminent industrialists, Harvey
s. Firestone, said a short time ago:
Except for unemployment, America is
in the best condition now of any nation
in the world. People just don't re-
allie it,
And why not? We have the resources,
the transportation facilities, the bust
ness genius, the skilled Workmen, the
raw materials and the finances. But,
alas, We seem to be bit lacking in
that spirit of assurance and progress
which carried us to the heights and
made our country great Courage, not
fear, is what we must put into oIIr
scheme of economic rehabilitation.
Freer purchases of needed articles and
goods and less hesitancy to spend on
the part of those who are able to buy
that Is what We must rely upon to put
more Of our people back at their
benches, at the machines and in the
mines, mills and fields.
A fine example of trust and conf
dence recently came to the attention
of the Department of Labor, when an
employer of thousands of workers, en-
gagged in an enterprise which, though
largely essential, has been continually
curtailed by many managers engaged
in the same line of endeavor, publicly
assured all of his employees of the secur-
ity of their positions and earnings. Here
was a small army of employees in many
sections left undisturbed to carry on
and purchase the products of their fell
low workmen in other undertakings.
New Expansion Reported.
A nearby metropolis in the heart Of
an Eastern industrial area reports, for
the year 1880, 38 new industries and
AZ factory expansions, revealing that
the new undertakings call for the adj
QlJlOn OF oyO4U WORKERS.. 1I1eSe DTOC-
esses of inauguration and expansion
In industry are constantly going on the
country over, in preparation of the
coming of better times.
Thus even when employment Gibbs
low new industries are constantly
springing up. OF late years this
growth has actually been marvellous,
and yet some of us insist upon MAIN
tanning an attitude of despair over a
period of lull in the availability CT SUI
ficient work opportunities. New and
greater fields of labor are yet in their
infancy in this Nation. Transportation
by air, television, adaptations of cleo
tricity and photography to sight and
sound, and scores of other innova-
tons which will create new demands
for labor have not yet turned the cor
ner of their paths to the industrial
highways of our Nation.
The pending further reduction OF i'm
migration is bound, when consum-
mated, to stimulate employment indi-
rectly; and while the competitive en-
trance of youth into industry increased
during 1929, for nine previous years it
had shown a distinct trend toward de-
cline; so that 1929 might well be re-
garded as abnormal, particularly In