Evening star., 1932-11-01

on top OF that he did what he said
ought not to be done.
Now, my friends, We are considering
unemployment tonight. and I am going
TO start by setting forth the positive
! policy which the Presidents Commits
sion urges under the leadership of the
Secretary of Commerce, said should be
| done.
1t was 5-point program; and as a
program it was good.
First-It urged that Government
\ should reduce expenditures for public
works during periods of prosperity and
build up reserves with which to increase
expenditures during periods of unem-
ployment and industrial depression.
This was not done No reserves were
built up for the rainy day.
Second-The report said that the
Federal Government should work with
| the railroads in the preparation Of q
| longtime constructive program
The Republican administration did
not give effect to this proposal. In
stead of working with the railroads. to
consolidate their lines and put them on
a sound, economical basis, it waited
until the depression had laid them low
and then had nothing for them except
loans. and temporary relief.
Third-The report proposed the set
ting up of safeguards against too rapid
I imitation. consequently too rapid defia-
tion Of bank credit AS l have shcwn,
the President and his Secretary of the
Treasury encouraged speculation.
Vetoed Wagner Bill.
Fourth-The report recommended an
adequate system of unemployment in
surance. No one in the administration
assumed leadership in order to bring
about positive action by the States to
make this reality.
Fifth-1t suggested an adequate sys-
tenn of public employment Offices. But
when Senator Wagner introduced bill
to establish the employment Offices.
President Hoover vetoed the measure
which Chairman Hoover had sponsored.
Business men who believe in sound
planning-these men of action-must
feel that there is danger to the country
in the continuance of leadership that
has shown such incapacity, such in
eptitude. and heedlessness to sound
business principles.
We have heard much about fact
finding. With all its pretentious belief
/ in facts and figures this administration
has largely used the process of fact
finding merely to gain time. Usually
they get even the facts tco late and
when they get the facts they misinter-
pref them.
What We need in Washington is less
fact finding and more thinking
Immediate relief of the unemployed
is the immediate need of the hour. But
no mere emergency measures of relief
are adequate Our goal, our unremit-
ting objective, must be to secure per-
manence of employment. Without sta
bility Of employment for our workers
and without a balanced economy be-
tween agriculture and industry there
can be no healthy national life
We have two problems: First-To
meet the immediate distress and. sec
ond-To build up on permanent basis.
As to immediate relief: The first
principle is that this nation owes posi-
tive duty that no one shall be per-
mitted to starve. This means that
while the immediate responsibility for
relief rests with local, public and pri-
vate charity, in SO far as these are in
adequate the States must carry the
burden, and whenever the States are
unable adequately to do SO the Federal
Government owes the positive duty of
stepping into the breach
The present Republican adminitra-
ton early took position against the
frank recognition of this principle. 1t
was only because of the insistence Of
Congress and the unmistakable voice
OF the people that the President yielded
and approved the relief bill this Sum-
mer.
Should Speed Construction.
Second-In addition to providing
emergency relief, the Federal Govern
ment should provide temporary work
wherever possible: In the national
forests, on flood prevention, and on
the development of waterway projects
already authorized and planned, thou
sands can be given at least temporary
employment.
Third-The Federal Government
should expedite the actual construction
of pubic works already authorized The
country would be Mortified to know how
little construction work authorized by
the last Congress and approved by the
President has already been undertaken
Much of it will not be under way until
/ next Summer.
In the field that looks further ahead
we call for co-ordinated system of en-
ployment exchanges, the advance Plan
ming Of public works and unemployment
reserves Who, then, is to carry these
measures? The first is clearly and in
escapably a task Of the Federal Gov
ernment although it will require the
loyal and intelligent cooperation OF
State and local agencies throughout the
land. To this Federal action, there
fore, I pledge my administration. The
second-that of the advance planning
Of public works-again calls for a strong
lead from the Government at Washing
| ton. pledge my administration to the
adoption of this principle both in the
enterprises of the Federal Government
and for the construction within the
several States which is made possible
by Federal aid, and I shall urge upon
| State and local authorities throughout
the Nation to follow this example.
The third-that of unemployment
reServes-must, under our system of
Government, be primarily the RESPONSE
bility of the several States. This. the
Democratic platform, on which ]
stand, makes entirely clear.
| In addition there has been long
overdue a reduction of the hours OF
work and the number of working days
per week. The great justif1cations Of
4 modern industry syD the cheapeptpg q