The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1933. RACE AGAINST TIME.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19625, 20 October 1933, Page 8

The Timaru Herald FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1933. RACE AGAINST TIME.

All sections of the community from shore to shore in the United States, generally agree that unless there is an adequate expansion of purchasing power, the new economic policy may result in a wild burst of over-production, followed by severe economic collapses in the autumn. The report of the Labour Department of the United States indicating that over 620,000 workers returned to their jobs in September in seventeen industrial and business groups, is interesting because although a flood of codes have been submitted during the past few months, wage rises in major industries did not become effective before September 1. The report of the Labour Department, however, covers a mere fraction of America's industrial activities, and there is no doubt that unemployment is still the Achilles heel of the United States. When Mr Roosevelt came into office last March, the number of workless was well above eleven million, even according to conservative estimates, but through the national recovery effort this lias been reduced by a return to work of crowds of men, variously estimated between 1,600,000 and 2,000,000. That, however, still leaves at least nine million out of work —a terrifying total in a country even like the United States, which is fighting for recovery against the oncoming winter, and the early gathering of the Senate, which has had no say in forcing the recovery plan upon the country. Thus frantic efforts are being made to increase purchasing power by pouring hundreds of millions in grants and subsidies into rural industries. The two-year programme designed to curtail production is said to involve potential governmental expenditure of something like 500,000,000 dollars; while State purchases of cotton and wheat, are to be embarked upon with the obvious purpose of providing the producers with increased purchasing power, designed, of course, to assist the rural community to absorb the increased production in the industrial areas, now operating under the recovery plan. But the future is not without dangerous pitfalls, for despite the bewildering pace of events, certain weak points in Mr Roosevelt's experiment have made themselves manifest. The critics see, for example, that up to now the great increase in production has been attained with a comparatively small increase in employment. The extra output in many industries, has been obtained largely by speeding up the work or extending the hours of the existing personnel of industry. It is the knowledge of this discrepancy, with all that it implies, which has led Mr Roosevelt to make urgents appeals to shorten the hours of labour and thus create fresh jobs. Throughout the country, factories and workshops have been stimulated to an immense increase in production. The President's biggest problem, yet unsolved, is to find buyers for all the goods being produced: The nine million unemployed, who, by the way, are not helped by the State to the degree that obtains in Mew Zealand, cannot make purchases, while the millions of workers whose pay has been slashed 20 and 30 per cent, are not likely to indulge in a spending carnival. Obviously, it is the realisation that spending power must expand adequately if the increased production is to be absorbed, that has prompted the President, firstly, to make an appeal to industries of all kinds to raise wages as soon as they can; an dsecondly, to pour purchasing power into the rural industries, by way of subsidies and payment for State purchases of wheat and cotton. It is generally agreed, however, that with prices inevitably rising in the major industries, during the early stages of an amazing experiment, any delay in the expansion of purchasing power may prove extremely damaging to the recovery plan. Moreover, in the economic improvement itself are to be found the seeds of fresh dangers. Numbers of industrialists who like frightened children were running to Washington for protection and assistance during the panic in March last, are now exhibiting such strong reluctance to accept Government control, that some are even threatening to fight President Roosevelt in Courts. Moreover, the sensational spread of the strike fever, synchronising with the display of recalcitrance by a minority of industrialists and “big business” leaders, have been sufficiently disturbing to force the President to talk of reprisals in the form of a blanket code of hours and minimum wages, to remain in force until such time as the individual industries agree to submit codes of their own. Plainly, however, Mr Roosevelt realises the perils of his position. He must deliver the goods quickly; and he must press forward, for to halt would invite defeat. ORPHANS’ DAY. Although many and pressing have been the appeals made to the generous hearted but heavily taxed people of Tirnaru and South Canterbury for the maintenance of social services, in the cause of charity, and for the provision of

relief for distress due to unemployment, it can be said without fear of contradiction that no appeal goes more directly to the hearts of all sections of the community than that being made today in the interests of the boys and girls in our orphanages. In the Proverbs of Solomon the highest philosophical advice is proffered wise parents who are adjured to “train up the child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” This most salutary advice, which is capable of the widest application, accurately reflects the wisdom of the Sacred Books of the Ancient Persians, in which they say: “If you would be holy, instruct your children, because all the good acts they perform will be imputed to you.” Sympathetic and enlightened communities in these progressive days, almost gladly accept the fullest responsibilities for the maintenance of the most improved social services, but no obligation is more willingly borne than the making of provisions for the care and education of the orphans. Not only is the average good-hearted citizen prompted to contribute liberally towards the maintenance of the orphanages, because they desire to offer some laudable expression of their genuine sympathy with motherless and fatherless boys and girls, but they interest themselves because they realise that as the nation marches forward on the feet of little children, the orphan should be given a good start in life. It is also recognised that in the orphanages to-day are the potential citizens of tomorrow, who will eventually become not only fully enfranchised electors, with an equal say in deciding the destinies of this fair country with the most important voter in the land, but the mothers and fathers of children who will play a part in the future of this country. It was Wordsworth who said that “the child is father of the man.” Hence the importance of retaining and maintaining the orphanages of South Canterbury at the highest efficiency, tempered with the most sympathetic atmosphere as some recompense to boys and girls who have lost their parents. The orphanages, of course, occupy an important place in the presentday scheme of things, but they cannot be retained without the generous support of all who sympathise with the work of training the young who are without parental sympathy, advice, and example. It was Locke, who said:

“The least and most Imperceptible Impressions received In infancy, have consequences very important and of a long duration. It is with these first impressions, as with a river, whose waters we can easily turn by different canals, in quite opposite courses, so that from the insensible direction the stream receives at its source, it takes different directions, and at last arrives at different places far distant from each other; and with the same facility we may, I think, turn the minds of children to what direction we please. The inference is irresistible. Plainly, the years the • boys and girls spend in our orphanages are the most impressionable. Hence the value of the appeal being made to-day for funds to ensure the continuance of the splendid work being carried out, without ostentation and at eompartively moderate cost to the State, because the boys and girls who do not enjoy the inestimable benefits of a real home life, but are forced by circumstances to spend their young lives in “institutions,” have a substantial claim on all sections of the community for generous financial assistance in support of the work being carried on in the orphanages of this district.