The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1939-08-10


DESPITE all legislative tinkering, extending
over period of ten years, the tragedy OF
millions of able-bodied working men and women
consigned to the unemployed army by the refusal
tenn of production and distribution, remains the
great unsolved problem for the Congress of the
United States.
The persistence of the unemployed problem
was emphasized by Senator Alban W. Barkley OF
Kentucky in opening the debate in the Senate on
the $2,49O, 100000 bill for financing recoverable
(self-iquidating) expenditures of Federal funds,
large portion of this vast amount being designed
for use as loans to business concerns.
After outlining the billions of dollars already
spent by the Federal Government to end unem-
ployment by financing the Works Progress Admin
istration, the Public Works Administration and
the Civilian Conservation Corps, Senator Barkey
said:
Notwithstanding the fact that we have un-
bounded credit and unbounded resources, and that
we have reserve which has been multiplying and
accumulatng period Of years, drawn from
nearly every other nation of the world, due to
world conditions we. still have very economic
condition, involving the unemployment of almost
4 10, 600, ,QQ@ ahle4boded men who are anxious to
work, who desire to make their contribution to-
ward recovery and toward the employment of nor
NAL life in this nation but who are without en-
poyment today through no fault OF their own.
We have such condition that money and men
are not being brought together in sufficient proxi-
nifty with resources to bring about the production
of commodities for sale in the market place. re-
sulting in purchasing power on the part OF the
American people that would enable them to absorb
unemployment. SO we now find ourselves with
millions of our people unemployed We find our
selves with undeveloped resources. We find a lack
of purchasing power on the part of the average
man and women and the average family in America
which makes it impossible for the American people
to enjoy the degree of prosperity, the degree OF
security, the degree of faith in the future which
in my judgment, are essential to the perpetuity
of our institutions"
And major remedy for this tragedy of un.
employment, Senator Barkey declared, is the en-
actment by Congress of the bill placing $2,49O,
100000 at the disposal of the Government for fl
nancing recoverable expenditures
incidentally, Secretary of the Treasury Nor
genthau is not optimistic as Senator Barkley
appears to be with regard to unemployment relie1
which the big spending bill will achieve. In his
testimony on this subject before the Senate Bank
ing Committee, Secretary Morgenthau estimated
that the expenditures authorized by the bill
would provide employment for 100000 jobless
which, if regard the present size of the unem
poyed army practically static, would still leave
9,5OO0O0 without jobs, saying nothing of the $50,
600 new workers added to our employable millions
every year.
Gated by the American Federation of Labor which
the United States Congress has not, as yet hac
the courage to consider seriously. That remedy
is the maximum thirty-hour week, without re-
duction in weekly wages. This A. f. of l.. remedy
would undoubtedly make such large inroads in the
unemployed army that at least practical anC
patriotic approach to a solution of the problem OF
millions of jobleSs men and women would be de-
veloped.