Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-03-18

Inc udTk ClOuu WHICH lovers over
Washington is the continuing prob
lem of unemployment. 1t is the most
difficult of all Governmental prob
lens because ii presents so many
complex phases. none of which is
capable of solution by itself. Unem-
ployment has to be tackled as a
whole. and viewed as a whole It Is
like an enveloping fog. In which ex-
plorers can oily grope without being
at all certain that they are going In
the right direction.
One thing which befogs the I'M
employment problem is the absence
OF facts and figures upon which
everybody concerned can agree. No
body knows how many persons are
actually unemployed. or why. Esti-
mates run from six or seven millions
up to ten or eleven millions. No
Federal census of the unemployed
has been taken since 1880. and the
basis of that count is not regarded
as presenting a true picture of the
situation even as 1t was then. Such
a census has been repeatedly urged.
but no agreement has been reached
even on the primary definition of
unemployed" Is every person to
be listed as unemployed" who hap
pens not to be at work on the day
the count is made, though he or she
was working last week and can go
back to the same or another job
next week? That and such questions
as how to divide the e~mployables
from the unemployables are points
upon which there are as many opin-
ions. almost. as there are students
of the question.
All that Washington really knows
about unemployment is that there is
still a very large number. totalling
several millions, who are being sup
ported u of public funds. either
working on w. P. A. and P. w. A.
projects or on direct relief admins
tered by state and local authorities
with assistance from Federal funds.
That a very large proportion OF in
dustrial and commercial workers
who were unemployed one, two or
thre years ago have nov been re-
employed is admitted by everyone.
Inc lNdllOudi AuuuStlldl OOulCl cuCC
Board reports that employment in
industry today is almost up to the
peak of 1929 and is increasing. But
offsetting this is the increase in the
number of those who have never
been employed, young people who
have reached the age of normal self.
support in the past few years and
have not been absorbed into indus.
try mad trade. About 900 900 a yeai
is the normal increase in this group;
but again nobody knows how many
of theme there are.
Public Works Program
The latest and perhaps the most
carefully-considered proposal is Q
program for Federal public works
which has been put forth by a grouI
of sixteen influential members Of
Congress, who say that 125 other:
have already assented to it. 1t is
really a declaration of principles in.
tended to govern future legislation
and Is based upon the assertion thai
useful and necessary work must bt
substituted for private charity anC
government doles. Stun clearance
soil and water conservation, refores
tation, flood and drouth control
power development and safety worl
are listed as examples of usefu
work of permanent value.
Ten principles should govern thi!
approach to the unemployment
problem. the sponsors say. They
are:
/. Work for all who are able anC
1.Work for all who are able anC
willing to work and cannot fnC
private employment.
2. The work to be useful, produc
tive and efficient as any worl
anywhere.
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