Evening star., 1937-12-24
An Important Inuuirv.

The Senate, through a special COM
mittee headed by Senator Byrnes of
south Carolina, is to begin on January 4
an investigation of unemployment and
lts corollary, relief. Probably no inves-
tlgatlon undertaken by the Senate in
recent years is OF greater Importance or
more potent of information much needed.
There has been an element of guesswork
in the past recommendations to Congress
regarding both unemployment and relief.
census of unemployed has recently
been conducted, and its results, when
made public, should be of great aid to
Congress in formulating relief policies
and making relief appropriations. With
Senate inquiry to supplement this CEN
sus, data should be available for dealing
with the whole problem in a sane and
adequate manner.
The business recession of recent
months has undoubtedly served to con-
fuse situation already complicated.
The Senate committee must perforce
causes If it is to get fair picture of
the whole situation. President Roose-
velt has charged that the recession is
due to fear-a fear fostered by a majority
OF the newspapers and by some of the
business men. On the other hand, the
charge has been made that business re-
cession has been due to the fact that
business did not know what to expect at
the hands of the administration. And
what it did know has not inspired con-
f1dence. The facts should be established.
The Senate committee is expected to
call many witnesses, representing the ad-
ministration, labor and industry. Out
of flood of testimony it may be diff
cult to get the exact information desired.
However, it is task to which the COM
mittee undoubtedly will devote itself
wholeheartedly. Fear is difficult thing
to eradicate-even if the fear be ground
less. Yet it Is generally conceded that
If there is to be a resumption of busi-
ness expansion and the investment of
private capital in industry, something
constructive must be done.
The administration can do much to
allay the fear of which the President
complains, if it will. Until it does give
some assurance that the Government is
not to compete with private industry
as in the development and sale of elec-
trio power on large scale, for example
there is little reason to believe that the
needed capital will be invested in the
expansion of the public utilities. The
administration even now is demanding
the passage of bill setting up in every
section of the country other enter
prises and projects like the T. v. A.
The administration can do much by put
ting into effect revision of the tax
ing system which has been burdensome
upon industry. It can aid by adhering
to the Presidents demand for balance
OF the budget in the next fiscal year.
Calling names will get neither the ad-
ministration nor industry very far-and
certainly will get the country nothing
of value. What is needed is real CO.
operation, frank and cordial, which has
been requested by the President-co-
operation on both sides. Too many busi-
ness men and too many potential inves-
tors Of private capital occupy the posi-
ton of the small boy who was afraid
to go into the back yard because a goat
was loose there. His mother insisted
! that there was no such thing as fear,
and therefore the boy should not hesi-
tate to face the goat. The boy, admit
ting he knew there was no such thing
as fear, asked if his mother was quite
sure the goat was also aware of that fact.
If certain policies or projected policies
are responsible for uncertainty and fear
in the industrial world, the Senate COM
nittee can develop that fact. If there
has been a conspiracy to create fear and
so to bring business recession, that, too,
may be brought to light. Such a con-
spiracy, however, on the part of men en-
gagged in industry would be very much
like cutting off the nose to spite the face.