Evening star., 1938-01-20

"y puSL HLTeS UcekS, tSQQeTS OF IN.
dustry, labor and Government hate
presented their theories and sug-
0esttons for Government action.
BY JOHN C. HENRY.
Shaking finger Indignantly, Colby
M. Chester. chairman Of the National
Association of Manufacturers, sug-
gested to the Senate Unemployment
Committee today that somebody dis
tribute the prizes in this mud-slinging
program and get it over"
The spokesman for one Of the most
powerful business groups in the coun-
try spoke with evident intensity as
he warned the committee THE situa-
ton today is serious
The public is fed up with the
charge that business, government and
labor can't get together and work
things out" he said. We've got to
clear the atmosphere"
Mr.. Chester, who also Is head of
the General Foods Corp, said he
would agree none of the three had a
monopoly on the mud-slinging.
NAtlOnS ODyeCtlVeS Listed.
1t is tnconceivable, he said, that
the leaders of government, industry
and labor are unable to work out a
way to the progressive objectives Of
the country, which he listed as better
| living, better housing. more Of the
necessities, comforts and luxuries of
life, steadier work, more certainty of
job and more security for old age"
Business is ready to go places and
do anything We can," Mr.. Chester in
sisted.
The N A. M. spokesman avoided
saying what he believed Congress
should do. but ventured the criticism
that some of these laws that Congress
passed have not been helpful"
Citing the undistributed corporate
profits and capital gains taxes, he
admitted he had not studied the
changes in these levies proposed last
week by a House subcommittee.
Asked If he would prefer outright
! repeal of the capital gains tax. the
witness said it had dampening effect
on capital investment.
THE laboratories Of this country
are bursting with new IDEAS" he said.
IF We can get capital interested.
Il think there is very definite
duty on the part of management to
keep employment going as long as
possible" he went on IF it places
a company in jeopardy, that is a
different problem
Asked if he knew of any companies
laying off men because they know the
Government would take care of them,
Mr.. Chester replied vehemently: mo,
sir. and think that would be q very
bad practice"
Would Keep Pay Rolls.
He would endeavor to maintain pay
rolls to the last possible moment, the
industrialist said in speaking of policy
he would favor for his own concern
If faced with the problem Of employing
reserve funds or cutting labor ex-
penditures drastically.
Questioned about prices and their
relation to buying, Mr. Chester said
present prices may not be the reason
for lack of buying, but added: Il
think a general trend toward lower
prices may be the logical way out"
He pointed out that prices Of his
own products have tended to 60 down,
but added that such a trend might
not be advisable in other industries.
Analyzing a QUESTIONABLE he had
sent out to 40 manufacturers, Mr..
Chester said that they reported an
average of II per cent decrease In
employment, most lay-offs being on a
seniority basis and after hours had
been reduced to spread work among
regular employees.
Upturn in 1888 Expected.
Opinion was divided on immediate
trends of business, but most of those
queried expected an upturn some time
during the year.
Asked how the 40 manufacturers
expected the use of reserves in pro-
viding employment to compare with
lS29-l932 practices, Mr.. Chester said:
Some doubt was expressed as to
whether many companies might be in
as good a position to take care Of their
workers as they were in 1929"
All the 40, he said, expressed be-
lief that public relief, either Federal,
State or local, should be extended to
the unemployed.
The committee today released q re-
port filed by w. Frank Persons, direc-
tor Of the United States Employment
Service, showing total Of 1,7l3,0l9
| original claims for unemployment
compensation up to January is in %
States and the District of Columbia.
In addition, there were 594 900 listed
as continued claims.
1883 d. C. Continued Claims.
The District original claims totaled
1875, Of which 8,299 were in the first
week apd 5,456 in the second week.
There were 1888 continued claims in
the District on January IS.
Maryland's original claims totaled
10000; those of Virginia, 23,2S9.
In contrast to the estimates of
w. P. A. administrators of several
other States, Carl Watson, head of
the program in Ohio, testified that
not more than IS per cent of the
w. p. A. workers have been on the
rolls since 1885. Some of the others
estimated such immobility as high as
80 per cent.
Mr.. Watson said his force occasion-
ally halted w. P. A. projects II private
employment was available in . com.