Hoover's Unemployment Policy
![handle is hein.journals/alablegr19 and id is 375 raw text is: Hoover's Unemployment Policy
By GEORGE H-. TATITO
N the September issue of this REVIEW,' attention was called to
Herbert Hoover's consistent record in behalf of an intelligent
plan for the prevention of unemployment. Now, still another chap-
ter is being added to that record. When the recent stock market
debacle threatened to turn a business recession into a business
crisis, it was gratifying to find Mr. Hoover so promptly taking the
leadership in a movement to remedy an apparently serious situation.
On November 15, the President announced a series of prelimi-
nary conferences for the purpose of developing certain definite
steps. Among the steps specified in that statement was the accelera-
tion of construction projects, both public and private. The
President said: The postponement of construction during the past
month, including not only building, railways, merchant marine and
public utilities, but also federal, state and municipal public works,
provides a substantial reserve for prompt expanded action.
In line with this statement the Administration decided to ask
Congress for an additional $175,000,000 public building appropria-
tion. This determination to apply without delay a remedy which
commissions, both official and unofficial, have for many years
recommended, is indeed commendable.
It is unfortunate, however, that the Federal government had
no well-considered public works program already drawn up before
the debacle occurred. There has been much comment that the
hasty calling of conferences and the announcement of emergency
programs might easily he interpreted by business as a warning
rather than as an encouragement. Such lack of preparation on the
part of the government was in danger of causing the very depres-
sion which the Administration was attempting to forestall.
This unpreparedness at a time of severe business strain serves
to re-emphasize the need for federal legislation to provide in advance
the means for meeting just such emergencies. As stated in the
September issue of this REVIEW, Herbert Hoover has repeatedly
placed himself on record as favoring this kind of farsighted prep-
aration. He has endorsed the reports of no less than six com-
mittees each of which recommended:
'See Hoover and Unemployment, by George H. Trafton, American Labor
Legislation Review, Vol. XIX, No. 3, September, 1929, pp. 267-269.
[373]](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/alablegr19&div=149&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
What Is HeinOnline?
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Hoover's Unemployment Policy
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most