UNEMPLOYMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1921, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT

AMKIMCA’S UNEMPLOYED. irSTll.lt.lAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. WASHINGTON", Sept. 2t>. President Harding has opened his unemployment conference. In a speech lie said that the present industrial depression was in no way peculiar to America. "In the inevitable reaction of a war.” he said, “there is always unemployment, even under the most fortunate circumstances. There are now a,500,000 unemployed in the I’nited States, but there is undoubtedly an excessive amount of unemployment to-day. We are frankly j anxious lest it grow worse with ttic* I hardships of winter. The problem is I the most difficult one that my administration lias been conirniited wdth. It is a delusion to think that the present situation could be avoided by any particular formula or action.” President Harding attacked those who would make tin* charge that tec business slump is due to America’s failure to ratify the Allies’ Versa iI Us Treaty, and her refusal to tl.e League of Nations. The President declared that the granting of aid trom tin* public Treasury to relieve the unemployment would he a source of trouble, rather than a cure. He would leave the conference to decide its own course ol relief, to which all America could lie committed, lie predicted that Capital and Labour would Mud a way to co-operation and to overturn;.* I business depression. No fewer than 51 prominent representatives of Capital, Labour and t public attended. Mr Hoover made a speech emphasising that- unemployment must never hi* solved liv gifts from the public treasury. He said that co-operative service to the unemployed, and not charity, must he the conference's aim. The Unemployment Conference, after organising iuto-12 small committees t study and recommend practical emergency measures for the-relieving of the situation and collection of statistics etc. will later re-group for the purpose ef recommending permanent measures wkert’Lv unemployment can be held nt , a minimum. There will be public hearings every, day during the coming week.