UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED STATES 91 
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With the revival of business, the memory of the 1921 depression, together 
with the recommendations of several committees which had studied the question, 
ied Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover to recommend to President Harding 
that an Executive order be sent to all divisions of the Government to have public 
works slowed down during the period of prosperity so as to contribute something 
to the overflow of employment. But no definite plan was adopted, despite the 
ever-growing recognition of the soundness and desirability of such a measure. 
Public opinion was further directed to the subject by the report of Herbert 
Hoover's committee on business cycles and unemployment (1923), and of his 
tommittee op seasonal operation in the construction industry (1924). 
Early in 1927 Senator Pepper introduced a resolution to appoint a Senate 
committee to study the stabilization of employment and industry through advance 
planning of public works, with a view to legislation. The resolution was reported 
favorably after a hearing, but the Senate failed to act upon it. 
Finally in 1928, Senator Jones introduced a bill to create a prosperity reserve. 
The bill was approved by Herbert Hoover's Department of Commerce and was 
reported favorably with only one amendment by the Senate Committee on Com- 
nerce after a public hearing. Unfortunately this was shortly before the national 
dolitical campaign of 1928, and the Federal Administration apparently came to 
delieve it would in some way be unfortunate even to admit the possibility of a 
future business recession if the party in power were successful in the election that 
year. The bill was therefore killed. 
Soon after the election, at the conference of governors, Governor Brewster, of 
Maine and William T. Foster, speaking for the President-elect, raised high hopes 
of early adoption of a national permanent program for the prevention of unem- 
ployment by the Hoover administration. A year and a half have gone by without 
legislative action for this purpose. Again and again, it has been pointed out by 
‘esponsible public officials that it is practically impossible suddenly to launch 
any effective program of public construction which presupposes available funds, 
sarefully drawn plans, and contracts let, before actual work begins. There must 
oe advance planning if the public works program is to be really effective in meet- 
ng emergency condition of unemployment. 
Surely we have waited long enough for the adoption of the principle of long- 
ange planning of public works as a definite policy of the Government. 
III. CHRONOLOGY OF HOOVER AND UNEMPLOYMENT 
1920 —Report of second industrial conference called by President Wilson; 
Herbert Hoover, vice chairman. Recommended: 1. Planning of public works 
18 ‘‘one of the most useful approaches to the general problem of unemployment.” 
2. “Enactment of appropriate legislation by Congress making provision for an 
:mployment clearing house under Federal control,” cooperating with State 
Jureaus. 
1921.—The President’s conference on unemployment; Herbert Hoover, chair- 
nan. Recommended: 1. “An adequate permanent system of employment 
ices.” Existing Federal provision declared inadequate. 2. Leadership by 
she Federal Government ‘in expanding its public works during periods of de- 
pression and contracting execution in periods of active industry.” 
1923 —Report of committee on business cycles and unemployment, appointed 
by Herbert Hoover: 1. “The committee call attention to the need for careful 
rafting of laws to insure a policy of reserving public works projects, if it is to 
de done effectively.” 2. ‘‘A national system of employment bureaus was recom- 
mended by the President’s conference on unemployment, and the committee gives 
1earty approval to that recommendation.” 
1924.—Report of committee on seasonal operation in the construction industries 
appointed by Herbert Hoover: 1. “The efforts to encourage long range planning 
of public works deserve the support of the public, legislators, and administrative 
Sfficials.””—Foreword by Herbert Hoover. 2. “The committee calls special 
attention to the report of the President’s Conference on Unemployment relative 
‘0 a permanent system of employment exchanges.” 
1928 —Herbert Hoover's Department of Commerce indorses the Jones pros- 
Derity reserve bill: * Enactment of the bill by the Congress would, in my opinion, 
encourage measures looking toward the same end on the part of the State and 
-ocal governments, which would also be in accord with the unanimous recommen- 
dations of the President’s conference on unemployment and its committee on 
business cycles and unemployment.” —Memorandum by chief of the division of 
building and housing, Department of Commerce, submitted to the Senate com- 
mittee by Herbert Hoover