Mr. SHORT:

Don't make any mistake.

Mr. McINTOSH:

You have predicted the defeat of the government now so often that you have made yourself believe what you would like to see happen.

Mr. PODLIOT:

The Tory party will be short of supporters.

Mr. McINTOSH:

This afternoon my hon. friend drew the attention of the house to what he termed the sad plight Canada is in because of unemployment. We all admit there is a certain amount of unemployment in Canada to-day. But there was a certain amount of it in 1929, there has been a certain amount of unemployment for the last five years, and for the last ten years, and for the last twenty-five years, and for the last half century, and even for the last century, and there will be unemployment in the days to come. Historically speaking there has been unemployment down through history. I do not

think it is getting us very far towards a solution of the problem simply to make the bald statement that we have unemployment. We must clear away a lot of superficial discussion and see if we as parliamentarians cannot by our united efforts help to solve this problem in the interests not only of the workers but of the whole nation.

My hon. friend who preceded me stated that there was a certain amount of agricultural unemployment. That may be the case, but we know the exact cause of it It was mentioned this afternoon by the hon. member for Bow River (Mr. Garland), and dealt with very clearly and definitely. We know that any person who is capable of working on the land, and who wants that kind of employment can always find it if he will adjust himself to the scale of wages in existence. Of course, if a man asks a wage beyond that which a farmer can pay, it simply means that he will not be given a job. He does not want to work, and consequently he is added to the long list of unemployed.

My hon. friend also mentioned that this was a federal and not a provincial matter. It seems to me every speaker who has discussed this question in the house has said that it is a national problem. Even my hon. friend from Winnipeg North Centre (Mr. Woodsworth) makes that statement, after sitting in a committee for two sessions and discussing this unemployment problem in a very full and able manner, working hard on it and afterward sending in a report to be endorsed by the house.

Mr. WOODSWORTH:

Did I not take that same stand last year in the debate which followed the presentation of the report?

Mr. McINTOSH:

The hon. member did

take that stand, to a certain extent. He realized, however, in taking it, that it would have been impossible to have arrived at an harmonious and conclusive report if he had adhered to it, and he therefore did not adhere to it. He took his part, however, in manufacturing the report, and in having it adopted two years ago by the house. Instead of standing foursquare with it, he fights it and rejects the proposal which it makes for the solution of this whole unemployment problem. I differ from him. The hon. member was a hard worker on the committee; he did splendid service, and I am surprised to find him standing in this chamber and holding up before the electors of Canada a position directly opposite to the one he took when he was helping to frame the report.

Questions

Mr. MACKENZIE KING:

I think it

would be desirable to conclude or continue this debate to-morrow. For that purpose, Mr. Speaker, by permission of the house I move the following, seconded by Mr. Crerar:

That standing order No. 28 be suspended on Thursday, April 3rd instant, and that motion be then made that the Speaker leave the chair for the house to go into committee of supply.