GRIP OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1930, Page 6

GRIP OF UNEMPLOYMENT

AMERICA’S PROBLEM TO-DAY. SAN FRANCISCO, October 29.

All authorities, although striving with might and main to solve the perplexing problem of unemployment, throughout the United States, are united in being convinced that th 1 recovery from the present American business slump will be of a very prolonged character.

The latter part of October witnessed 11 great flourish of trumpets from the housetops that Americans were strong enough to throw off the shackles ol unemployment, but no one appeared to understand the underlying causes ol the striking ddpre.ssjon that has seized America, which fondly believes itself to be. the richest nation on the face pf the earth, and is not afraid of proclaiming that belief.

All over the country State and Federal authorities have marshalled their forces ill a mighty effort to solve the puzzle of why American industries so suddenly fell off and swelled the ranks of the idle by hundreds of thousands in every corner of the country. While these authorities have been announcing enormous programmes of projected public works, in themselves sufficient to stagger the imagination of the “common herd,” there has been a series of searching questions asked by tbe vast army of unemployed, who desire immediate relief, as it is realised that much water will have to pass under the bridge before the necessary legislation can be passed before these contemplated projects can be put into action. “Entitled to Jobs.” “Every man under tbe flag is entitled to a job. Government fails and fails unless all men have an equal opportunity to work. Tbe five-day week without reduction of wages must become universal and permanent in America in older to prevent further business depression and resulting unemployment.” In these words Senator James E. Watson, Republican leader in tbe Upper House reiterated and amplified in Indianapolis tbe views which had startled Indiana audiences a few days previously. The veteran Senator smilingly denied that in uttering these principles he was breaking with his own record which has earned him the appelation of “reactionary.”

“I am merely carrying my theories of government to their logical conclusion,” he asserted. “Our theory of equality becomes mockery unless all men have ail equal opportunity to work. Idle men will give ear tp Communistic agitators; men with high wages and property won’t. We ‘reactionaries’ must see to it that no man willing to work is denied the opportunity if we want to preserve the form of. government we believe in.

“I believe that fear in the minds of business men, nervously watching the stock market, is delaying our recovery from the present depression. But when we recover from this depression, what then? There will be a great army of unemployed under the best of conditions, unless we shorten working hours. “Within the last six years the rapid improvement of machinery has displaced 2,000.000 men. The theory'has been that those displaced would go somewhere else. But the displaced eventually, have no place to go, for the substitution of machinery for men takes place everywhere. Theory of Equality. “Every man must be paid enough wages to run his home. Ho must have the conveniences, even the luxuries which he should have to live under a government devoted to equality. In shortening hours to prevent over-pro-duction. we cannot lower wages. Tll establishing tbe five-day week, wages must remain tile same as for six clavs.

“It lias been said that people are not ready to use this extra day of leisure profitably, ft is said that they would use it in pleasure-seeking rather than in self-jmprovement. But what if some working men do waste or abuse their leisure? T would rather see 30,000.000 men idle one day a week than 2,000.000 men idle seven days a week. The working man who is idle one day a week may ©o to some personal excess; but the 2,000,000 men who are idle all the' time will give ear to tbe Communist agitator. For that reason alone we ‘reactionaries’ should see that all are employed.”