Evening star., 1932-12-28
Conclusions in Technocracy
Face Scientific Challenge

nocrats are urging us to face crea-
lively"
Finding it "undeniable that there u
a real problem" although the depres-
sion probably has made it look worse
and more insoluble than it really IS,
the San Francisco Chronicle voices the
conclusion: When prophecies are found
to be based on exaggerated assertions
they discreGit whatever sound quality
may lie in 'technocracy' and its work
ers." That paper also offers the estl-
mate of the situation: we have still
long long way to go before the ma
chine has entirely di, placed labor. In
all the time before We reach that point,
and as we progress ward 1t, We hall
have at hand progressive remedy in
requiring less and less labor in return
for share in the fruits Of production.
This is what We have already been
doing as technology has advanced. In
hardly more than a generation the
amount of labcr required in return for
living has been reduced by a third
perhaps not so much If you take the
whole world into account-and at the
same time the standard of the living
thus obtained has been immensely in
creased. Is there any reason to think
this process will not continue?"
Conflicting claims are seen by the
Gary Post Tribune, with the techno-
Gratis maintaining that never again can
work be found for every one and their
opponents denying that there has been
Tribune adds: Those who challenge
the theery say that the mechaniZation
Of industry has gone forward at a very
steady pace right through the years and
that all We need now to give men Work
is a return to normal economic condi-
tionS. That means head-cn clash
between the proponents OF the new
system and the defenders Of the old.
1t should be very interesting and in
structive."
Direct contradiction of the aSsump-
tions of technocratic spokesmen Is
offered by the Indianapolis News, with
reliance placed upon recent analysis
of Federal census figures. The News
declares: "As to the opinion that the
machine has created tdlenesS there =
the evidence that in 1900 1873 per cent
of the men and women over 10 years OF
age were gainfully employed in 1910.
AIS per cent; in 1920, 39.4 per cent, and
in 1880 1913 per cent. Thus the average
of employment was higher in 1880 than
in any time in the present century, 1910
alone excepted. In manufacturing,
where technol -gical advance has been
most rapid, it was found that it abb
sorbed 8.3 per cent in 1910. 1912 per cent
in 1920 and 9.5 per cent in 1881. This
indicates decline since 1920 in the
total percentage in industry of $4,000
workers. But the total employment
figures previously cited show a higher
average than in 1920, so that those
who were net used in manufacturing
were not idle. but were absorbed into
other fields"
This subject appeals to the Spokane
Spokesman-Review as the latest fad,
and it ranks it with 40 other fadS,
fantasies, delusionS and dogmas that
have engaged the national interest In
the last quarter of a century, strutted
their brief hour upcn the stage and
paSed into the limbo Of forgetfulneSs."
The Spokane paper calls 1t 1.-The reverse
idea of Stains fve-year plan in Rus
sia," stating that there the furious
striving is to overcome an appalling
deficiency In everything; in the United
States 'technocracy is to dispose Ct sur
pluses." That journal adds: Tech
nocracy appears to be local adaptation
Of the Mtlssolini idea Of government by
experts-expert technicians instead OF
expert politicians. But that sort OF
government, to get anywhere and pre-
vent its own blowing up, must have one
supreme expert In Soviet Russia y
u Stain; IN Italy 1t Il Mussolinl"