176 UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES
ment exchanges in every State in the Union, who will do this commun-
icating between them and so have the clearance between the States,
or you can let the States operate the offices. There is the only alter-
native. Now I took what I regarded as the alternative which preserved
States rights as against the alternative of having the Federal Govern-
ment do it exclusively.
Mr. SuMNERs. An still preserve the States’ responsibility.
Senator WAaeNER. Yes; they are responsible for the entire admin-
istration of those offices. The aid that they get is because of the help
which they give the Federal Government in helping the clearing of
labor, the placement between States, and collecting this accurate
information; which you of course appreciate how invaluable it is for
us to have. We can not solve this problem without this information.
So I would like to ask you which way should we have this cooperation
and still keep the entire control of the function within the control of
the State. I want to avoid the very thing I am charged with by Mr.
Emery (and because of his contradictory arguments, I take it it is not
the actual reason for his opposition) I want to preserve the States’
control, so that no one could complain about States rights, and yet
bring about this cooperation. And I have thought and thought—I
mean. this is not new with me—and if I could have thought of a better
plan, I certainly would have proposed it, to get this cooperation and
still keep States rights.
Now I would like to ask you if you have any better plan, mind you,
of keeping the clearance between the States. Because, mind you,
Congressman, the more you study that question, the more you realize
that it is a thing which can only be solved by cooperation between the
States. A public work started here in Washington, affects the shoe
factory in Massachusetts, textiles in the South and in the New Eng-
land States, factories in my State. It is so widespread that it requires
cooperation in order intelligently to deal with this subject. And this
cooperation being absolutely an essential part of the program, I
thought this would preserve State rights and yet give us that coopera-
tion. The only alternative is to forget the States entirely and do it
all by the Federal Government; which, by the way, Mr. Emery
suggested this morning. That is why I say I can not follow his
argument at all.
Mr. Montague. I do not see there is anything in the constitutional
objection, but I am rather surprised at your opening argument this
morning when you said this matter was so exigent of such immense,
transcendent concern, that the Constitution had nothing to do with it.
That was substantially what you said this morning?
Senator Wagner. Oh, no.
Mr. Montague. Then I misunderstood you.
Senator Wagner. Governor, you certainly misunderstood me.
Mr. Montague. Iam glad Idid.
Senator Wagener. I think that the constitutional arguments made
against it are untenable, in my judgment fantastic.
Mr. MonTagUE. And I understood you further to say the measure
was of such moment that it did not make much difference. You did
not use that language?
Senator WagNER. Oh, no. Whatever you may say about me, I am
more stable than that.
