UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES 31 
Mr. CeLLer. You think also that this Federal agency would do 
much to alleviate that situation? 
Mr. Green. That is one important function that it can perform, 
because—you will pardon me if I take a moment to make this observa- 
tion upon that point at this time—technological unemployment is 
constantly with us. It is increasing every day and every year. 
Mr. Tucker. What do you mean by that expression? 
Mr. Green. The introduction of mechanical devices to displace 
men; in other words, the substitution of machinery for hand labor. 
Men are being displaced constantly and the tragic feature of that 
phase of unemployment is this: That when the worker is displaced, 
he not only loses his job, but his skill is destroyed. 
Mr. CeLLER. Like a musician, for example, I presume? 
Mr. GreEN. Just like a musician; an all-round machinist, a window- 
glass blower; and others that I could mention. They are not only 
confronted with the serious specter of unemployment, but they are 
confronted with this fact, that the skill that they have acquired as a 
result of years and years of training and service has been overnight 
completely destroyed and instead of being able to go somewhere and 
find a job, find employment suitable to the men thus displaced, where 
he could follow his skill and training, he is compelled now to seek work 
where he can, as a taxi driver, as a common laborer. That involves 
a great social question, because under our social system, the skilled 
worker builds up a standard of living comparatively high, a standard 
that is regarded as the American standard of living. He maintains 
his family on that American standard of living, but when his skill 
is destroyed, his earning power is destroyed, or materially reduced, 
in finding a job of work as a common laborer, he must lower his 
standard of living. There is a great social question involved in this 
whole unemployment problem. 
Mr. MonTaGUE. May I interrupt to ask you a question? I want 
to know the application of the statement you are now making. Are 
you speaking now of technological unemployment? 
Mr. GreEN. Yes, sir. 
Mr. SumnERs. On that point, Mr. Green, will you indicate how 
you hope this bill will remedy the condition resulting from the general 
increase in the use of machinery? 
Mr. GreeN. At the present time there is no one—mno agency, no 
authority—assisting this man who is displaced. His skill is destroyed. 
The future is black, the outlook cold and unsympathetic, indeed. 
Where can he go? 
Mr. Sumners. That is what I want to find out. 
Mr. Green. He is better suited, his training and his experience 
fits him for something better than being a common laborer. But how 
is he to know where he can find some employment suitable to him? 
He may live in Maryland, but he may find some work in New York 
or New Jersey. But how is he to know that? 
The Federal agencies created under this act would assemble na- 
tional information, and the man out of work, displaced through the 
introduction of machinery, can go to some sympathetic adviser and 
talk his problem over with him, in this unemployment agency, 
because I presume it is at least fair to assume that the men who will 
be in charge of these employment agencies will be social and indus- 
trial experts, men who can render assistance. ’ 
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