Uphold wages and spread work by voluntary agreement of employers and labor; shorter hours in government service

We believe in the principle of high wages. We favor the principle of the shorter working week and shorter work day with its application to government as well as to private employment, as rapidly and as constructively as conditions will warrant.

It was in accordance with these principles and these policies that I am today organizing the private industrial and financial resources of the country to cooperate effectively with the vast governmental instrumentalities which we have in motion, so that through their united and coordinated efforts we may move from defense to a powerful attack upon the depression along the whole national front.

I believe this can be truly said to have been the first time in history that the Government has taken the leadership to secure an understanding between industry and labor of the complete mutuality of their interest in the face of a national danger.

In order to bring the Government into line with these facts, and upon my recommendation to Congress, the shorter hours were applied effectually to Government service so that we should spread Government employment over the largest possible numbers and yet decrease governmental expenses.

I have for many years advocated high wages as the economic basis for the country. That has long been a Republican doctrine. That is the road to economical production and high consumption of products of the farm and factory.

The hours of labor have decreased, the 12-hour day has disappeared, even the 9-hour day has almost gone. We are now advocating the 5-day week.

Hoover's mobilization of business and banking committees is ceremonial — 'his new panel of honorary pallbearers' — and Democrats call it propaganda.

Of course, not everybody is deeply imprest, as is evident from the Baltimore Evening Sun's (Ind.) ironic reference to President Hoover's speech before

Hoover did absolutely nothing to remedy the crash from October to December 1929 and delayed relief and economy for years.

From that day to December 31st of that year, he did absolutely nothing to remedy the situation. Not only did he do nothing, but he took the position that Congress could do nothing.